Originally Posted by sprintcar:
i think and hope that is what tony is aiming for. But i think he is smart enough to know that he needs more seat time before the 500. Hence him getting someone to drive his cab and him running the series again. Not next year, but? The man wants to win the 500. I'm all for it. He has won in all forms of racecars and is, imo the last outlaw racer and can win also in all of these cars!
Originally Posted by sprintcar:
a threat yes, to contend no. Everyone needs practice and i don't mean a few times at indy before the race. I want him to win the 500. 
Originally Posted by bigmojo5:
well, hasn't this turned into a urinating contest.
Rather than lauding the fact that roger penske offered tony stewart a ride in next year's indianapolis 500, you'd rather bellyache about whether stewart is one of the best. The simple fact is that it is impossible to judge the "best" when comparing drivers from one era of racing to the next. Pancho carter once pointed out to me that it can't be done because of the differences in the types of equipment, schedules, methods of track preparation. One also has to consider the difference today in the financial need of a driver to take risks in our traditional form of racing. Drivers in the 1950s and 1960s did it so they could eat and make car payments. Successful drivers today do not have to.
Tony stewart is the closest thing to the drivers of the 1950s and 1960s. He will run multiple types of race cars at all kinds of venues, and run them very well, not because he needs to make a house payment but because he loves racing -- any racing.
Stewart said several years ago that the days of running indianapolis on a one-off basis are gone because of the advances which have been made in indycar racing. This was before the development of the new car. During an interview last year, he told me that he needed many more laps before he could ever consider entering the knoxville nationals in a winged sprint car. It was just too different from what he has ever done.
I suspect the same would be true about penske's offer. Tony stewart has always been too intelligent to step into something without being adequately prepared. Just how is he going to have time to prepare with the commitments he has to not only his nascar race team and its sponsors, but his other racing efforts, eldora speedway and his true speed communications company?
I would love to see tony return to the field of the indianapolis 500. I long for it. But, i fear the time for that may have passed us by.
Jim morrison
editor
hawkeye racing news
