Full Throttle

You know that whole NASCAR is gonna lay off the drivers thing? You know the one, it’s where drivers, no matter their position in the pecking order, will be able to say their peace without the PC Police slapping the ‘cuffs on them?

Daytona’s “Media Day” - that should be a clue as to what’s coming - featured Smoke testing the new policy right out of the box by showing up 90 minutes late for his media interview, and becoming a bit testy about answering the same old same old for the gazillionth time:

“What are you going to ask me today that you didn’t ask me last week or the week before that or the week before that?” “I don’t mind doing this; I just hope I hear something different.”

When someone asked Stewart whether Daytona brought generally pleasant or not-so-pleasant memories, he lashed out again.

I didn’t even think about that when I got here last night,” he said. “I worried about getting the cats in and getting my bags unpacked and getting to bed. I didn’t get here until 12:30 last night, after a Bass Pro Shop appearance in Louisiana.”

“And I had two [dirt-track, open-wheel] race teams I was worrying about. I was checking my messages to see how they were doing. I wasn’t thinking much about memories here.”

Well NASCAR there’s your first test case.

Not that Smoke said anything untoward, the test comes in him being late. Last time that happened he was fined $10,000 and he remarked afterwards: “It’s a little tender for me to sit down right now.”

Smoke, is Smoke afterall. One second he’s cursing at cameras and throwing temper tantrums, the next image is of him handing million-dollar checks to Kyle and Pattie Petty in support of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. It’s what he does, and for the most part what many fans love.

Having said that, it will be interesting to see NASCAR’s reaction to his tardiness.

UPDATE: Speaking of testing NASCAR edicts, Kurt Busch and Smoke were called into a meeting with NASCAR after a “get together” during Friday’s Shootout practice.