Notebook: Smoke Wins at Indy!!

Finally! After winning the 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Tony Stewart (not to mention the rest of us) should no longer have to endure such probing questions from the media as “Uh, gee Tony… how much would you like to win at Indianapolis?”.

That’s right race fans, Tony Stewart has accomplished his life-long dream of winning a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Over the next several days and weeks, other writers will undoubtedly put this whole story into much more eloquent terms than I can. In fact, I am having to hurry as I write this since I’m on my way out of town. But when a boy from Indiana grows up to race at the world’s greatest race track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and wins its second biggest race (yeah, second biggest… sorry) you just need to stop what you’re doing and pay tribute.

I have to admit that I was not always Tony Stewart’s biggest fan. I never really knew much about him other than what I occasionally saw on TV. But after moving to Indiana and learning more about him, coming into contact with people that are more familiar with him, and seeing the time, effort, and money he spends supporting the people and causes he believes in, I have gained a huge amount of respect for him.

Tony Stewart is a racer’s racer. One of the things you just have to like about the guy is that he will drive anything. And not only will he drive anything, he will drive it and WIN. They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore, I would like to have seen what Tony could have done before the age of the ultra-restrictive contract.

The NASCAR life has got to be enough to drive anyone crazy, and to a certain extent you can’t blame Tony for reacting to certain situations the way he has in the past. Then again, sometimes you can and should. But I like the Tony Stewart I see when I go to sprint car races: the laid-back Tony, the well-respected Tony, the genuinely friendly Tony. Just a good guy, out there doing his thing, having a good time. I don’t think the rest of the world ever gets to see that side of him, but they should. Maybe they saw a little bit of that side in the feature NBC did before the race, or in the pre-race interview, which was as calm, cool, and collected as anyone could possibly be given the situation at hand. I think that showed that Tony was ready to win it.

I hated the fact that I couldn’t make it to the race this year. As I watched it in glorious High Definition (thanks NBC… could you show ABC how it’s done?) I even commented that if Tony Stewart were to win, I would REALLY be hating the fact that I wasn’t there. Well, I’m REALLY hating the fact that I wasn’t there now.

What I’d really like to see now is one of those Disney World commercials that would go something like this:

Music: When you wish upon a star…

(video of checkered flag waving, Stewart crossing the finish line)

Announcer: …and Tony Stewart wins the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard!!

Stewart on Radio: WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!

Music: …makes no difference who you are…

(video of Tony getting out of the car)

Announcer: Tony Stewart, you just won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard! What are you going to do now?

Music: …anything your heart desires…

Stewart: I’m going to Disney World… and then I’m going to race in the Indy 500!!!

Music: …will come to you…

Yeah… Not to take anything away from Tony, he really deserves this win. But THAT would be cool!