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Joe Gibbs Racing has mixed emotions after Tony Stewart's Talladega victory

By Rea White - Associate Editor

Monday, October 06, 2008

Article Rating: 2.7
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Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

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Joe Gibbs Racing enjoyed a rather bittersweet outing in Sunday's Amp Energy 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
   
While the organization was thrilled that driver Tony Stewart earned his first win of the season, it also watched as the team’s Denny Hamlin hit the wall so hard that he ended up spending the night in a Birmingham, Ala., hospital for observation. And its third driver, Kyle Busch, wound up in one of the day’s big wrecks, although he came back to finish 15th.
   
So the team's executives found themselves leaving Talladega Superspeedway with some mixed emotions.
   
"It's kind of two different days for us," President J. D. Gibbs said. "We have Denny's run first, have the tire go, hits the wall. That was scary. Get him to Birmingham, have the doctors check him out. He had a little headache, his foot was hurting. You go from that, come back over here, watching at the end of the race, Kyle [Busch] got caught up in the accident there. Then Tony to go where he was, to not have a win all year, that was a big deal for us."
   
At first, Gibbs didn't think Stewart had won at all. He actually crossed the line behind Regan Smith, the Dale Earnhardt Inc. rookie who passed Stewart on the final lap after going below the yellow line. NASCAR doesn't allow a driver to complete a pass in that spot, though drivers seemed a little hazy on how that rule worked on the final lap of the race, especially since Smith thought he was forced below the line. In that case, NASCAR penalizes the driver who made the aggressive move that put another driver below that line.
   
The result in this case was that Smith was penalized by being put as the final car on the lead lap, and Stewart was awarded the win. 
   
"The way we won it, you go, 'Man, we were so close.'  Then you realize you can't go below the yellow line," Gibbs said. "We've been caught a few times at the other end of that.  [Crew chief Greg Zipadelli] knew right away you can't do that from past experience."
   
Team owner Joe Gibbs agreed.
   
It had been 43 races since Stewart's last victory. After 10 years and two championships with Zipadelli, Stewart has announced plans to leave the organization at the end of this season. Although he’s in the field of the Chase For The Sprint Cup, Stewart had not been in the mix of the championship hunt before the race, but the driver and team were intent on getting at least one more win together before parting company. Sunday they accomplished that.
   
"The thing I kind of focused on right after the race was, you know, it's been with Zippy and Tony, all of us together with Home Depot, it's 33 wins," Joe Gibbs said. "That's awesome. I mean, it just doesn't happen that often in sports that you get to enjoy those kinds of wins. This one took us a while to get this one.
   
"Zippy has done a great job managing, handling the team, keeping everyone together. Obviously went through a lot this year with all the things that have happened to the race team. I really appreciate them and their attitude. They kept a great attitude all year."
   
Throughout this season, Zipadelli and team have maintained their confidence. Despite setbacks in races, they never seemed to doubt whether they could make it to victory lane by season's end.
   
Sunday's race was, in many ways, a testament to the team's ability to maintain its focus throughout a series of distractions.
   
"It's been tough this year, up and down, keeping everybody just focused and trying to not get frustrated over the things that are going to happen or that we went through," Zipadelli said. "My guys, they've done a good job all year of trying to stay focused doing their job, you know, trying to prepare good race cars.  Hopefully, this will give us a little momentum for the last few races, [so] we can get ourselves back in the top five where I think we belong."
   
As to Stewart himself, he was simply glad nothing went wrong. In a race where it briefly looked as if he might have to settle for being the runnerup at the track once more, things finally went his way.
   
On this day, that was enough.
   
"It's no secret we've been a little bit off all year," he said. "But there's been opportunities, like we mentioned earlier, that we've had opportunities to win, and something's happened. It was nice today. I mean, you look at all the things that happened on the race track, and we weren't a part of it. We finally had one of those days where everything went right for us. You know, we were able to finish it off.
   
"Man, I mean, there's been a lot of nights going home at night going, 'Man, what do I have to do? How long is this slump going to be? What do we have to do to get out of it?' At least for the next six days, I get to say that I'm out of it."

Average Rating: 2.7

Comments

68 responses to "Joe Gibbs Racing has mixed emotions after Tony Stewart's Talladega victory"
  1. 1
    Rosemary May said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 12:44 PM

    If Regan Smith was forced below the yellow line, he should have been awarded the win at Talladega, not Stewart.

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  2. 2
    Susan Morledge said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 12:51 PM

    Congrats to Tony!! Glad he finally got a win!

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  3. 3
    Michelle Trice said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    Way to go Smoke!

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  4. 4
    Geri Wolf said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 1:51 PM

    Well, Rosemary he didn't looked forced to me. Just shut out! Way to go Tony, but why didn't you climb a fence?

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  5. 5
    Richard Elston said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:08 PM

    Geri, I guess you are as blind as Jim Hunter and Mike Helton. When you are inside of someone and they come down and hit your fender forcing you to turn to the left and go below the yellow line, that is what is called "Forced below the yellow line". Maybe you need some help with the English language too.

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  6. 6
    Belle Blevins said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:15 PM

    I'm with Rosemary and Richard

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  7. 7
    Paula LaRue said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:16 PM

    Richard, you got better eyes than the rest of us. I never saw Tony hit his fender, or any thing else. Yes he came down A LITTLE, but din't force him below the yellow line. He went below the line on his won doings. That's the way to do it Tony, am rel happy for you guys.

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  8. 8
    said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:24 PM

    I'm thinking Tony didn't climb the fence. 1. not in shape (tummy too big) 2. Someone may push him off of the "yellow" fence. 3. people may throw things at him so he stayed in the car. Not a well deserved win. All the others just lost.

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  9. 9
    Scott Baker said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:28 PM

    Feel bad for Regan, he was there and forced down. NASCAR made the call too quick. They should have looked at that one, Stewart came down on him. Regan deserved the win. But at the same time, he shouldn't have waited like he did. Regan was in the best position to win and didn't take advantage of it, waited waaaaaay too long to make a move.

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  10. 10
    jesse jesse Mcelroy said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:35 PM

    reagn should have got the win,just ask kenny wallace who was in the drivers meeting.but like i said before nascar needs to create some controversy,plus tony is a big name star,reagn smith is a nobody.nascar got to get the espn sports talk idiots to have something to say,why because they don't know nascar,they just know dale jr.,jeff g.,jimmy j.,and tony.just look at the tv ratings.

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  11. 11
    Thomas Mikulski said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:38 PM

    Regan should have let them wreck and he would have finished higher than what he did. NASCAR was wrong again!!!! BULL#@#* rule applies again! Thank God for the truck races. That's the only series I enjoy anymore.

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  12. 12
    Pam Wilson said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:43 PM

    Congrats Tony!!! Way to Go

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  13. 13
    bud balch said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 2:56 PM

    Tony s win was no big deal . If he could not beat 3 DEI rookies . It would be time for him to hang up his helmet. Give me a break . WOW really big win smoke !!

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  14. 14
    scott raymond said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:10 PM

    oh hey richard the same goes to you, as i wrote to rosemary

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  15. 15
    Ryden Caparelli said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:13 PM

    Regan Smith is going to be selling cars at Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet come February 09, seeing that pretty much all the ride ave been filled and that DEI only has one sponsor for 4 cars. Regan Smith's whole car was below the yellow line, therefore, e was rightfully penalized. Argue all you want Regan, you lost, and it was your fault.

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  16. 16
    Tim the Fan said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:21 PM

    Guess Tony's so desperate for a win he'll take one he didn't deserve. Anyone who has eye's and a brain could see that Smith was forced below the line. First Smith went high and Tony blocked. Then he went low and was blocked again and this time there was minor contact so Smith went lower. Sorry for the fans of the biggest crybaby in NASCAR but Tony should not have been given the win....What if that would have been Jr. instead of Smith??? We all know how NASCAR would have seen it then.

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  17. 17
    Suzanne Ebert said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:22 PM

    The end of the race was called correctly. Scott Raymond is right on

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  18. 18
    Werner Boehmert said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:27 PM

    had they been side by side i would have had an issue with Tony's win, but by what "I" saw was the Smith just had a bumper to Tony's rear bumper...it's judgement issue... then again had it been Jr instead of Smith...it would have been forced below the line...

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  19. 19
    Anonymous said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 3:34 PM

    SCOTT YOU ARE THE IDIOT OPEN YOUR EYES, REGAN HAD HIS FRONT FINDER ON TONY'S BACK LFT QURTER PANEL. HE DID THE RIGHT THING . I GUESS AS EVERY ONE HAD STATED HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT GOING ABOVE THE YELLOW LINE AND SPUN TONY AS HE SHOULD HAVE DESERVED AND NASCAR WOULD HAVE HAD TO SAY NOTHING THEN. (ONE MORE BIG ONE} I THINK THE KID DERSERVES A LOT OF CREDIT TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY ITS ONE THING TO BLOCK AND ANOTHER TO RUN OVER SOMEONE. NASCAR AND YOU BELONG IN THE SAME ROOM (BATHROOM} SHARING A TOLET SEAT. HEH

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  20. 20
    Debbie Webb said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 4:46 PM

    As was stated in the article. Tony did the same thing at Daytona, that Regan did. Tony was penalized and didn't get the win. So why should things be any different for Regan? Just because you don't like Tony, isn't a reason.

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  21. 21
    Mark Ernst said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:21 PM

    Tony was the only talented plate racer left,how could he lose?

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  22. 22
    Tommy Goff said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:25 PM

    I hope Tony backed his car into Victory Lane. Reagan won the race hands down. Jim Hunter sure missed that call,must have been asleep. Reagan may have crossed the yellow line but don't we all when someone swerves at us on the highway? I've watched the replay several times today. Yes Reagan crossed the line but he was still in second when he came back onto the track. He didn't make the pass until just before the line. He won. If this is what Jim Hunter & Co. want for the future of NASCAR, they need another name for it. It can't be racing if you're going to let the drivers parade around for 300, 400, 500 or even 600 miles them have someone in a suite above the track decide who wins. Sounds like a beauty pageant to me only this time the fat ugly one won. Merry X-mas Tony.

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  23. 23
    marian mcclain said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:28 PM

    Stop bellyaching. Tony won and Regan should have went high and not made the choice to go on the yellow line. Go TOny.

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  24. 24
    Robert Petrosky said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:41 PM

    Anonmmous, afraid to give your name, I would be also with your comments. Smith would have shown more class, staying 2nd where he belonged, instead of trying to cheat to win. He dropped below the line, knowing it was wrong and expected Stewart to move up to accommadate him. He had many hours of racing to get into position, why wait until then, unless he didn't have what it takes to be in the lead and keep it.

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  25. 25
    Carol Hohman said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:52 PM

    wtg tony and the home depot can't wait for you to be in a chevy next year and go 14 then !!!!!!! tony was blocking and smith should of went high with the help of menard and i'd blame smith and meanards spoters on that there the ones telling them where to drive below the yellow is a big NO NO anytime there is that line no matter what !!!! Nascar got it right !!!!!!!!!!

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  26. 26
    Jayne Deere said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:53 PM

    Regan Smith was not forced below the yellow line, the definition of being forced to do something means you had no other alternative. Smith had other options, he could have let off the gas, he could have spun out Stewart, or he could have avoided making the move that backfired on him in the first place. Stewart was within the rules to block and maintain his racing position. The NASCAR ruling body repeats the rule regarding the yellow line at the drivers meeting before each of these restrictor plate races at Daytona and Talladega. It clearly states that a driver can not advance his position by crossing over the yellow line. They don't open it up to each individual driver's interpretation. Stewart is well aware of this rule because he has been penalized for trying the same thing a few years back at Daytona, so why should he lose the victory because someone tried to pull the same thing on him. Stewart deserves to celebrate this victory because he earned it.

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  27. 27
    Jessica Silleto said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 5:59 PM

    The rules are clear. You DO NOT pass below the yellow line whether you are forced there or not. Tony admitted to pushing him down ther. Tony had it done to him several times and lost that way. It's about time he win that way. You should not be trying to pass a car on the inside at Talladega when yu are going for a win because no matter who you are passing, they are going to force you down below the line. I like Reagn Smith and I feel bad for him. I think he learned a tough lesson and hopefully he will pass on the outside next time.

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  28. 28
    Mike Brennan said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:01 PM

    I'm not a Tony fan, but glad to his luck change and win a race; I imagine it will be a couple of seasons before Tony will win again as a owner-driver. Good luck Tony.

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  29. 29
    James Brown said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:12 PM

    Mike Helton can't even make up his mind on what color he wants his mustach so what make you think he could make a right call on a car race. What a bunch of turds. And for the blind idiots who said he sould have went high, if you were watching the same race I was he did but was blocked up there thats why he went low and got FORCED below the line.

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  30. 30
    4da88 said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:30 PM

    This is the way I understand it… A driver cannot pass below yellow line even if forced... If someone passes to gain position below yellow line, they must give position back or be penalized… If forced below yellow line they will not be penalized.(There was no way Regan could have come back up above yellow line) So IMO, which means diddly squat, Tony is the rightful winner of the race and Regan should have been second, NOT 18th... At any rate Tony has no cause to be ashamed, and I am sure he is not, of his win. The leader has every right to defend their position. Please don't yell at me, it is just my opinion, not a way of life.

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  31. 31
    Marti Heath said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:43 PM

    Congrats to Tony. He outdrove Smith. That's all there is to it. It's called "blocking" stupid. Dale, DW or Rusty would have punted Tony to the grass and taken the win legally if not a little more violently twenty years ago. I feel sorry for the kid but inexperience (and maybe inattention at the drivers meeting) is what beat him. Tony has lost races the same way so he knows both ends of this. Bet next time Smith will do it a whole lot differently. NASCAR got it right. The same people griping this time are the same people who griped when Jr. went to the apron in Texas to save gas and win. They didn't think he should have gotten the win because he DID go under the line. BUT at Texas it's legal and people still pitched a hissy. Just depends on who you're rooting for, I guess.

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  32. 32
    Grover rickman said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:49 PM

    TO Geri Wolf, Tony didn't climb the fence because he of all people knew Regan Smith had WON THE RACE, he just wanted to hurry and get the Trophy in looooosers Circle before someone changed something,Little did he know Nascar wasn't going to let that Happen!!!!!!Hope this one Feels good TONY!!

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  33. 33
    Grover rickman said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 6:59 PM

    SCOTT, stop smoking the BAD Stuff!!!!And pull your head out, Thanks.

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  34. 34
    Kenneth McLellan said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 7:43 PM

    Tony didn't climb the fence because NASCAR put a rule in NO CLIMBING because of