Yet Roger Penske's sort of serious offer to field an entry for him in 2013 has sparked much interest. Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials would love to see Stewart in the race and even an ESPN executive has suggested the network would be willing to alter the race's planned start time to help.
What, really, though is there for Stewart to gain? There is no physically possible way he can put in everything necessary - time and preparation - to run the 500 like the rest of IndyCar's regular competitors. The Indy 500 is the crown jewel of open-wheel racing and as such participants spend weeks at the track leading up to the race. The Coke 600 is one of 36 points-paying races in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series, meaning there are other races prior and immediately after that also require the same attention.
Would Stewart have a shot at the one trophy that has eluded him? Perhaps. But at what cost? And what does his participation do for either IndyCar or NASCAR? He's already attempted this feat twice previously - so the newness factor is muted.
For those who believe the attempt would help IndyCar, attention on the Indy 500 is not the series' biggest problem. It's getting eyes on the rest of the year that needs help. Stewart running the 500 does not add a single viewer for the season finale in Fontana, Calif.
Nice offer from Penske. But when it comes to doing the double, Stewart should simply say, "Been there, done that."
Simply put, this best illustrates why Tony is a racer and you are not.......
ReplyDeleteWell said!!
DeleteWhat is there to be gained? You said it yourself in the first sentence of the post: "Tony Stewart has unsuccessfully attempted the Coca-Cola 600-Indy 500 double twice..."
ReplyDeleteWhat is to be gained? For Stewart to say that he did it. No one who has ever tried the double has ever done so for anything as noble as raising the profile of either racing circuit. They do it just to be able to say they've done it.
I say let him give it another shot. Danica Patrick and John Andretti and the like can't pull it off because they don't have enough talent to race in both races without dozens of hours of practice in both. Stewart has enough talent that he can keep doing his NASCAR gig and put in just a little practice at Indy and be able to be competitive.
If he or anyone else has the talent and resources to pull it off, I say go for it.
While your logic may make sense... it's beside the point. It ignores the essential element that Tony, like all successful drivers is driven by the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThe more impossible you make it sound, the more he will want to do it! It's not about whether or not YOU see a value in it... it's whether or not HE does that matters.
Sorry, as depleted as the Indy 500 prestige is lately it still trumps anything new Smoke can do in NASCAR.
ReplyDeleteWhat's to be gained? His ugly mug on the Borg Warner next to Foyt, Andretti, Ward, Shaw, Vukovich, etc.
While I too agree the Indy 500 is a shadow of what it was in the past decade, just the title of Indy 500 winner alone is probably still a very tantalizing lure to Tony..
ReplyDeleteAll you have gained by this ridiculous statement are more race fans recognizing your idiocy. I know it's a free country, but why would you "utter" such a statement? Tony is smart enough to make the right decision; Roger is smart enough to know what gets headlines. I think Tony and Roger are Porsches and you are the lone Yugo. Merry Christmas and may Santa deliver some common sense to you this year.
ReplyDelete