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In focus Stewart needs to be more selective in picking targets
Tony Stewart just can't help himself. After a day on which he completed 600 laps and 1,100 miles of racing, after a day on which he raised perhaps as much as $250,000 for charity, after a day on which he loudly and clearly silenced critics who said he couldn't and shouldn't attempt such a foolish thing, after a glorious day which, by all rights, should have been nothing short of his coronation, Stewart went and stepped in it. Again. If ever there was a time for an understated, "I'll take the high road, you stay on the low road" approach, the immediate aftermath of the Coca-Cola 600 was it. Having overcome fatigue and a second-lap spin and having made a late-race charge that carried him to third place (Stewart's fourth top-five finish in his last four races), after having finished sixth in the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the day, Stewart could have simply smiled a contented smile, sat back with a well-deserved, self-satisfied grin that told his adversaries in the press that, hey, what do you have to say for yourselves now?
Could have, but didn't. Late Sunday night, Stewart went on the offensive, albeit somewhat justifiably and certainly understandably. Not five minutes after getting out of his car, Stewart threw a dart at those who had chided him for what they felt was a selfish endeavor. "For all those people who said I was an idiot for putting people in danger by trying to race over 1,100 miles," he said, "they're the idiots, because I was the fastest car on the racetrack there at the end." Even after that petulant little display, when Stewart later admitted to reporters that some of the criticism had wounded him and that, whatever anyone cared to say, he was proud to have raised as much money as he did for Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp, he came across as a wholly sympathetic figure, someone who had now earned himself a fair few benefits of the doubt. But, Stewart just can't help himself. When he was asked by a reporter if he could, please, give a better explanation of what he meant when he said he got "squirrelly" on his second-lap spin, the 30-year-old gave what could charitably be described as an obnoxious answer. Yes, "squirrelly" is a fairly common racing term, but Stewart's response -- a short but incredulous pause, a tilt of the head, a roll of the eyes and a smug smile followed by some arch commentary -- would have been appropriate coming from an immature teenager. It's one thing to return fire to a skeptical press that may or may not have been unjustified in its portrayal of him and his difficult double. It's another thing entirely to embarrass someone in front of others simply because you find that person's request lacking on some level. It's especially interesting to note the targets Stewart chooses to strafe. Eight days earlier, after being the victim of what he felt was a raw deal in The Winston, he chose not to speak to the media after the race, afraid of what he might say. Then came Sunday's display. Consider: Which response would more endear Stewart to the public, an assault on those nefarious rule makers of NASCAR or his broadsides at certain reporters? Stewart is an intelligent man and one hell of a good race car driver, one of the best in the world. Couple those talents with his penchant for confrontation and NASCAR has itself a ready-made dramatic lead to help it achieve its lofty goals of continued growth and prosperity. But, if Stewart chooses neither to learn nor appreciate the importance of choosing his targets with a greater care and appreciation for how the attack is perceived, if he proves unwilling to focus his anger more appropriately, then he will continue to do both himself and NASCAR a major disservice. Stephen Thomas covers NASCAR for CNNSI.com. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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