NASCAR: Stewart Hot, Cools Off; Hamlin Bigger Man At JGR
Daytona Beach, FL (AHN) - Two-time Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart has never been one to bite his tongue - a quality that has made him endearing to fans and the media over the years.
Tony Stewart has had his share of run-ins with the competition over the years, most-recently Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards at Pocono last season and with Nextel newcomer David Gilliland this year at Talladega and Michigan.
Saturday night in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Tony Stewart showed he doesn't discriminate as he had some harsh words for Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin.
"The No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) just stopped for no reason, right in the middle of Turn 4. I'm sure he was getting tight because for three laps in a row we were catching him through the center and the exit of the corner. All of a sudden he just stops on the exit of (Turn) 4 in front of 42 cars and I guess expects all of us to drive around him,'' said Tony Stewart. "I don't know. It's tore up two really good race cars. He tried to crash us on Friday in practice and didn't get it done so he finished it off today. He's a young guy and he wants to be successful, but I don't know if he knows the definition of 'team' right now."
Tony Stewart's comments came shortly after he and Denny Hamlin got together exiting Turn 4 on Lap 14 of the 160-lap event. Accidents happen, but they don't often involve a pair of teammates, up front with cars both capable of winning the race - and that early no less.
The accident relegated Denny Hamlin to career-worst 43rd-place finish while Tony Stewart settled for a 38th-place finish.
Tony Stewart was likely talking out of frustration. He hasn't won this season, while Denny Hamlin won the week before at New Hampshire and is well on his way to a second straight trip into The Chase. Tony Stewart fell short of the top-10 last fall.
"It really doesn't matter either way who (wrecks me) whether it's him or somebody else but I hope he don't try to blame it on me," said Denny Hamlin. "I (know the meaning of teammates). I figured I did but I'm going to be the bigger man and I'll take the blame on this. If he wants to blame it on me I'll be the bigger man. I'll take responsibility for it. He's been around this sport longer than I have and he probably knows more than I do so I'll just take it for what it's worth."
Denny Hamlin was leading the race and exiting Turn 4 when it appeared as if Tony Stewart got into the back of him, sending both cars sliding and crunching into each other through the tri-oval.
The incident took away both drivers' chances at winning.
"I think both our guys are very aggressive. They love to race,'' said team owner Joe Gibbs. "They're good teammates and they want to win every race. Sometimes guys get upset, which is understandable."
Tuesday night on his weekly satellite radio show, Tony Stewart appeared more cooled off about the situation.
He said he hadn't yet talked with Denny Hamlin, but that he and last year's top rookie have a good relationship.
"And the thing that people didn't understand about the deal the other day is I remember when we were in Sonoma and he had just won the Busch race at Milwaukee and I put a note on his door just telling him that I was proud of him and he did a good job with the circumstances that happened there," said Tony Stewart. "I love the kid like a little brother. There's not any animosity from that. It's just as tough as the competition is and the way that some of the things happen during the weekend and early in the race like that, I think there's ways that we can work as teammates better ... But we'll get all that stuff figured out. And that's just part of being young teammates. I mean, we've only worked with each other a year and a half."
