Tony Stewart has Changed
Posted by GEORGE June 11, 2009 12:52:28 PM
Tony Stewart is taking the responsibility of team owner seriously. Financial decisions, along with hiring and firing, are a different ballgame for Tony, compared to the days when Smoke's only responsibility was winning the next race. Stewart is now also concerned about Ryan Newman and trying to get him into The Chase.
Claire, an avid Tony Stewart fan, asked me if I knew why Smoke didn't climb the fence after his victory last weekend at Pocono. Fence-climbing just doesn't fit Tony Stewart's image anymore. Tony is a team owner now, with a completely different set of responsibilities. Interviews with Tony Stewart are now sprinkled with words reserved for team owners and people who make important decisions about their business.
Other factors may enter into the absence of fence-climbing last weekend, such as age and maturity, but I believe Tony Stewart is simply fitting into the image of a team owner, and it seems to come naturally for him.
While I miss the flamboyance of the old Smoke, I also enjoy the fact that he is taking the job very seriously. After relaying my thoughts to Claire, she may have summed it up the best when she said, "He learned from the best." I agree with Claire, and all things considered, I think I might like the new Tony Stewart better than the old!
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