Instead NASCAR announced a $50,000 fine, 25 driver points and a 6-week probation? This is barely a slap on the wrist. What does a guy making millions care about $50k? 25 drivers points is a joke too. Stewart is firmly in the top 10 in points and 25 points either way is utterly meaningless. What part of this is a deterrent and a lesson for Tony to clean up his act?
NASCAR really dropped the ball here and some cynical reporters are suggesting that Stewart only got off easy because Home Depot is a major sponsor of NASCAR. I would hate to think that could be true, but it sure doesn't look good.
Last year Jimmy Spencer was suspended for one race after punching Kurt Busch after a race where both drivers had been aggressive. Jimmy drew some support from some drivers in the garage because many felt that Kurt had crossed the line himself and needed to learn a lesson.
Nobody is jumping to Tony's defense here, by all accounts Brian Vickers has done nothing wrong yet NASCAR chooses to let Stewart off easier than Spencer last year? This just doesn't add up.
Tony should have been forced to sit out the Pepsi 400 in Daytona this weekend. The resulting loss of real points could have knocked him out of the top ten and caused him to scramble back in. As it is, this penalty really is of no consequence at all.
I'm not sure I understand NASCAR's logic here. Maybe the money really did affect their ruling? Clearly the people that know won't be talking so we'll never know for sure.
