Zipadelli on Stewart
 

According to Marty Smith at ESPN, Zipadelli stated Stewart feels like he has let team down, very apologetic, sponsors very disappointed, discussions will be coming about non-Cup racing. It's probably safe to assume we won't see Smoke in too many more sprint car races. Really unfortunate!!

He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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Man talk about kicking a guy when he is down.................Sympathy abounds.........

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by Thyfault925:
According to Marty Smith at ESPN, Zipadelli stated Stewart feels like he has let team down, very apologetic, sponsors very disappointed, discussions will be coming about non-Cup racing. It's probably safe to assume we won't see Smoke in too many more sprint car races. Really unfortunate!!

I guess that's to be expected, after all, JG had his thumb on him, maybe why he left, who know's, but I still expect to see him turn at least one lap Sunday, if Nascar will let him, after all, I guess he is an "employee" so if they say no, it'll not happen. Bob

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Sometimes I don't like his antics, but I love his fire as a competitor. I just saw him wheel a sprint car to a 2nd at Granite City a week and a half ago. Get well soon Tony, I hope to see you racing anything you desire shortly.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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WOW!!! You almost leave me speechless.
But, I said almost: Whether you are a Tony Stewart fan or not, a wing fan or not, that post you made was a little too harsh. You may want to step back a few minutes and look at a bigger picture (if possible) and try to look at situations from his perspective.

#1, Tony is a true Racer. He will and can drive anything anywhere and win. He has proven that over and over.

#2, By being one of the “All Time Best”, he can now afford to do what he wants (within his means) when he wants and where he wants.

#3, From my experience (again a Novice to the sport), it looks to me like he has invested millions more of his own dollars into open wheel racing than 99% of the racers and car owners, when he has never had to like some that have come from open wheel success.

#4, His purchase of Eldora has helped all racers in the country by helping take what was a top facility to even higher levels and keeping it on the television which promotes all racing, especially open wheel. Eldora is sitting in what has been dominantly a wing sprint car state. Ohio has figured out how to successfully run 3 different wing sprint car groups successfully so they have a great fan base over there and can fill the stands better as a support group to the All Stars and World of Outlaws. Tony still gives USAC and I believe possibly BOSS great opportunities to race there for better than average money.

Don’t you think that the last few years he has intentionally and reluctantly kept himself out of the nonwing sprints and Silver Crown to protect himself?? The wing gives him a little additional security and safety. (Look at what Ganassi lets Larson do now because of his investment) I would imagine if had his true choice, he would run as many nonwing sprint car races as possible, but he can also run during the week with the Outlaws almost every week.

Thank You Tony, for everything you have done for sprint car racing and all the investments of your time and money into the sport we all love in the future. 90% plus of us appreciate all you have done and will do. Get well as soon as possible and keep putting our sport out in front of the world.

Ray Morgan
Ray Morgan Motorsports
Terre Haute, IN.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Well put Ray, and you aren't a novice to sprint cars! Hope Tony is back on the track soon!

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I hardly see eldora as having gone to higher levels, they've done little if anything to improve the racing surface and there are very few non wing sprint car races on the slate since stewart took over, so unless you like pokey-assed pick-up trucks and hill-billy stock cars and single file wing-ed sprints.... but as far as tony being a racer/ he indeed is, and I wish him a speedy recovery!

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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Let me see...if we are looking at the same video, TS turns the car to the bottom just before contact...wasn't that crash in the turn? Yep I believe it was...Have you been to Oskalosa? if so you know the visibility looking THRU the corner is not so good specially when you are running the bottom....WING vs. NON WING...let's count the states that race NON WING CARS on a weekly basics...2 Indiana/California now WINGED..28....so to connect with his fan base if it was YOU, which would you do

Originally Posted by johnnythunderhead:
I hardly see eldora as having gone to higher levels, they've done little if anything to improve the racing surface and there are very few non wing sprint car races on the slate since stewart took over, so unless you like pokey-assed pick-up trucks and hill-billy stock cars and single file wing-ed sprints.... but as far as tony being a racer/ he indeed is, and I wish him a speedy recovery!

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I go to the Dream and World 100 to watch my "hill-billy stock cars". And I'd go watch them over any race in the world.

Maybe he quit running non-wing cars because they didn't draw enough fans or cars. I'm sure tony had good reasons why they don't run them as much anymore.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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Hey Bill, here's one for the TRASH! Bob

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Papa Outlaw. I'm no geography expert , but last time I heard Waynesfield Ohio, is well, in Ohio. Also BOSS is a traveling NON WING series based in Ohio. Also, a couple tracks in Illinois are also non wing now. It isn't just 2 states anymore, and the call for none wings is growing.

Last time I saw Tony run without a barn door on his cage of a sprinter was at Terre Haute last year. You could tell it had been a while, but he was up front by the end of the feature.

I'm tired of the media making a big deal about sprint car crashes. It didn't take a very long time to forget about Earnhardt , did it. Racing is dangerous as we all know, and Tony wasn't the first driver hurt this year, and unfortunately, probably not the last. I just wish the media would cover more than just the wrecks. Outside of slamming the sport of sprint car racing, or sensationalizing a wreck, when was the last time that rag the Indy Star even put a sprint car race result in it ? Face it , if it ain't blood and guts they don't care.

Originally Posted by TQ29m:
Hey Bill, here's one for the TRASH! Bob

The guy is not entitled to an opinion?

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Not when it's written as it is, with a hate pen! And some of the stuff he's followed it up with, doesn't make him sound like any angel either. An "opinion", yes, that was not an "opinion"! Bob

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

nothing against tony, but i sure miss earl baltes.

I seem to recall Tony running near the back at Terre Haute last year. He was in Levi's backup car because only 13 other cars showed up.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

He ended up fifth, after 6 years of not being in a non wing car.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7...bab24384_b.jpg
IMG_5473 copy by uncloose1, on Flickr

He also wasn't afraid to ride the rim either. He's just a racer's racer. He'll drive anything, anytime , anywhere.I've even seen him run a MTQRL race at Columbus this year.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

I still love that avitar Sam. Real race cars from my younger days.:6:

Not to be a smart azz or take anything from tony but think only 7 cars finished the feature at that. And its his money and choice if he wants to run sprints (wing or non).

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

He will run anytime anywhere except indy in may.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

I think that this will impact Tony's racing. Not because his love or passion for the sport , but because of him being a leader of his race team. It is realistic to see how this could impact the operations at Stewart-Hass. It is realistic that this impacts sponsors, appearances, and revenue dollars. I don't think Tony cares about what others think but having to lay x number of people off from their jobs because of something you did would be taxing.


A compromise would be to return racing with the Outlaws but no more of the other series. There is a difference racing against the same 14-18 drivers a night versus running a regional 360 show with different drivers and different skill levels every night.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by Hotshoe65s:
Maybe he quit running non-wing cars because they didn't draw enough fans or cars. I'm sure tony had good reasons why they don't run them as much anymore.

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You obviously weren't at the BOSS show at Lawrenceburg Saturday. The non-wing show attracted a crowd that was close to USAC in numbers. Five sprint car shows Saturday evening and ALL of them had good car counts, even Plymouth.

I don't thnk Tony worries about not enough fans. Announce that he will be racing, wing or non-wing, he will be responsible for enough butts in the seats. Just ask Greg Staab of the MTQRL.

Originally Posted by Jonr:
I think that this will impact Tony's racing. Not because his love or passion for the sport , but because of him being a leader of his race team. It is realistic to see how this could impact the operations at Stewart-Hass. It is realistic that this impacts sponsors, appearances, and revenue dollars. I don't think Tony cares about what others think but having to lay x number of people off from their jobs because of something you did would be taxing.


A compromise would be to return racing with the Outlaws but no more of the other series. There is a difference racing against the same 14-18 drivers a night versus running a regional 360 show with different drivers and different skill levels every night.

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I know everyone will hate me saying this, but I expect him to run more late model shows. It's without a doubt some of the toughest competition in dirt track racing, there is an abundance of big shows, and an abundance of big series to run with. Plus they have more of a framework around the driver, so it would be safer than a sprint car.

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Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

i believe i read that he started running winged cars because it was the only thing he had never won in and he wanted to change that.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

All the short track racers need to email Office Deopt and Mobile 1 and tell them that the reason we support their companies id that Tony DOES race at the short tracks! If he is not allowed to than our business can go to companies that support all types of racing that he competes in.

Mike Streicher

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

I do not attend many wing races, so as a sprint car fan I always wished he run more of what I go to. I think the reason he ran the wing cars was to challenge himself. I saw him win at Granite City on the old half mile when he caught Jack Hewitt in the Hampshire 63 and passed him while driving a V6 for glen Niebel. It still ranks as one of the most impressive drives I have seen. That win put him in the point lead, and helped cement his Triple Crown. (another impressive feat) As for Eldora, I have been going there since 1982, and it has been a wing and late model track since then. It is Ohio folks. I have seen him help people without any fanfare, and has fielded non wing cars. I know he has some tough decisions to make, as any person who employs hundreds of people would. Hope he gets well soon, and wish him luck with whatever he does.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
He shoulda swerved to miss that guy. Lol. Maybe the wing blocked his view. I don't like seeing him run winged sprints anyway. He's been slapping the non-wings in the face ever since he defected in my opinion. Plus his track hardly schedules non-wing sprints anymore so good riddens Tony. I'm not gonna miss ya.

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Totally Pathetic!

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by streihawk8:
All the short track racers need to email Office Deopt and Mobile 1 and tell them that the reason we support their companies id that Tony DOES race at the short tracks! If he is not allowed to than our business can go to companies that support all types of racing that he competes in.

Mike Streicher

Office Depot is no longer a sponsor on his car. His main sponsors are Mobil 1 and Bass Pro Shops I believe.

http://www.stewarthaasracing.com/sponsors/

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Dear NASCAR,

It amazes me how you seem to think that you are the only race series on the planet and that all other forms of racing need to conform to your needs. You feel the need to try and control racers and TV networks in desperate attempts to hold on to your fans. Take a look at your stands or even your TV ratings NASCAR. It doesnt look good.
It looks like your holding on to the fans by their ankles as they drag you across the floor. They are discovering or rediscovering much better racing out there. Your peeps are getting bored with your race on pit road, mandatory and fake debris yellows, get your lap back, snail pace style of racing. It does allow us to grab a sunday afternoon nap to catch up on our sleep. I'll give you that.

As far as Tony's sponsors, its hard for me to believe they can be pissed at Tony for anything. Not only does he represent them nationally, but also at the regional and local levels. At multiple venues and multiple locations. Other than having someone following me around everywhere I go, talking in my ear saying..... "buy Old Spice-buy Old Spice" or "shop at Home Depot-shop at Home Depot" (or Office depot etc..) over and over, it's prolly the best marketing strategy any company can have.

So NASCAR....... Sprint Car and Midget racing(not Sprint Cup) is the best racing on the planet. Always will be.

I hope Tony does as he's always done. Walk his own path.

(a lil comment by a NASCAR announcer and commentators saying that sprint car racing was an extra-curricular, is what fueled this fire.)

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Non-wing sprints race weekly in western Wisconsin and northern Iowa. Rock Rapids, Iowa and St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Count in two more - The New Mexico Motor Racing Assn. runs a non-wing series at NAPA Speedway in Albuquerque, and USAC SW Sprint Cars has a non-wing series in Phoenix. Any others ?

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk:
I do not attend many wing races, so as a sprint car fan I always wished he run more of what I go to. I think the reason he ran the wing cars was to challenge himself. I saw him win at Granite City on the old half mile when he caught Jack Hewitt in the Hampshire 63 and passed him while driving a V6 for glen Niebel. It still ranks as one of the most impressive drives I have seen. That win put him in the point lead, and helped cement his Triple Crown. (another impressive feat) As for Eldora, I have been going there since 1982, and it has been a wing and late model track since then. It is Ohio folks. I have seen him help people without any fanfare, and has fielded non wing cars. I know he has some tough decisions to make, as any person who employs hundreds of people would. Hope he gets well soon, and wish him luck with whatever he does.

Brent,

In regards the number of people Tony employs, he made the statement on the telecast of the truck race that he only has seven full time employees at Eldora. The rest are high school kids or volunteers. I thought that was an interesting tidbit. No doubt he employs considerably more than that in his NASCAR operation.

Re: Zipadelli on Stewart
 

Don't forget these guys when counting non wing sprints: http://www.traditional.umsprints.com/

Get well Tony...... Open wheel racing needs you so don't stay away.

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