Tony Leaving JGR Just “Smoke”.
By: Drew Hierwarter
For the last four or five days almost all of the talk on the Internet and in the racing media has been about Tony Stewart leaving Joe Gibbs Racing. Most of it has been based on rumor and inuendo with very few facts to back any of it up. Somebody heard something from somebody else. Somebody speculated on what they thought Stewart might do. The real story is, there’s no story here.
Tony Stewart has driven for Joe Gibbs since 1998 and has a contract in place to remain there through the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Stewart himself said last summer that he was interested in extending that contract into the future. But when word of negotiations to renew his current contract began to circulate earlier this year, other offers started coming out of the woodwork. This sort of thing happens all the time. And the last time it happened, in 2003, Stewart used the existence of these offers to sweeten the contract renewal he was negotiating at that time with JGR.
Now, in a story from the Associated Press, Tony Stewart has revealed that, yes, he is looking at some other offers and indeed some of these offers are very tempting. “A wise person told me it never cost a dime to listen, so right now we’re all ears,” Stewart said. He also reports that he has discussed these other offers with officials at JGR. “Right now we’ve not asked to be released out of our contract,” Tony said. “They know there are other offers on the table and we’ve said, What if this is the case? And what if this is presented to us? Is there a possibility we could be released from our contract early?’ But we have not asked to be released from our contract.” (emphasis mine)
Cary Agajanian, who represents Stewart through the Motorsports Management Int., said; “His contract is through 2009 with Joe Gibbs Racing, that’s . . . all we can say.”
End of story.
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As for the rest of the racing world this weekend, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway along with the IRL Indy Cars. Can Danica Patrick win two in a row?
The NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series will be in action at Talladega Superspeedway. Can Kurt Busch continue his hot streak in the Nationwide Series. Can Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finally win on one of his best tracks?
The NHRA is Atlanta this weekend. If he qualifies, it will mark John Force’s 500th race.
The Formula 1 circus performs in Spain. Can the McLarens counter the torrid pace turned in by the Ferarri’s in the first practice?