Stewart 09

[Blakr]

Stewart closer to knowing where he'll be in 2009
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor scenedaily.com
Friday, May 23, 2008

CONCORD, N.C. – Tony Stewart said he is getting closer to determining what he will be doing next season and beyond.

Stewart, who is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through 2009, is entertaining offers of leaving the organization to go to another team that would include the two-time Cup champion as a team owner.

“I’m getting closer, that’s the good thing,” said Stewart, who first acknowledged he was considering leaving JGR four weeks ago at Talladega. “I feel like I’m on the backside of the hill getting everything done. We’re a lot closer than we were.”

If Stewart wants to race somewhere else in 2009, he would need to get released from his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. He has admitted the issue has been discussed but denied that he has gotten the release for the team where he has spent his entire 10-year Cup carrier.

“We haven’t gotten it,” Stewart said of the release. “I have not asked for it.”




Looks like Stewart will be at JGR for at least the 09 season if he hasn't asked for his release by now. I think he will leave after 09. I know the 20 team don't normally get hot until later in the season, but his team never really got it together last year, and they seem off again this year too. I think it will be a continuous slump for the 20 until Tony goes, while the 11, and 18 teams continue to pick up where the 20 team left off.

[admin]

Yeah, as i've heard on some other teams already, they are giving all the good equipment to Busch and Hamlin.... ;)

[jonesi]

Originally Posted by blacker snip... I know the 20 team don't normally get hot until later in the season, but his team never really got it together last year, and they seem off again this year too. I think it will be a continuous slump for the 20 until Tony goes, while the 11, and 18 teams continue to pick up where the 20 team left off.

I don't know how off he can be in 8th, only 103 points from his teammate in 4th? He's only one less dnf out of the top five, and he's almost never hot before mid season.

[Blakr]

Originally Posted by jonesi I don't know how off he can be in 8th, only 103 points from his teammate in 4th? He's only one less dnf out of the top five, and he's almost never hot before mid season.

Looking at what his two teammates are doing on a weekly basis, the 20 team seems off. It makes me wonder if Tony's heart is still with the team.

[revvinjim]

Looking at what his two teammates are doing on a weekly basis, the 20 team seems off. It makes me wonder if Tony's heart is still with the team.

Isn't that like saying "looking at what Dale Earnhardt, Jr is doing on a weekly basis, the 24 team seems off. It makes me wonder if Jeff's heart is still with the team."

The people who don't listen to what Tony Stewart is saying about his team and what he wants in the future continue to publish the same kind of stuff we saw the last time Smoke's contract was up. I thought the majority of HMS fans and Jr fans didn't like Tony Stewart, so why do they even care about what he is doing in 2010?

[Blakr]

The difference between JG and TS is, TS has acknowledged that he has been talking to others about leaving his team, while JG is committed to his team. Gordon is not as hungry as he was, but he's not going anywhere.

Because I'm not a fan of Tony's, I shouldn't want to talk about it? You only talk about the drivers you like???

[revvinjim]

Originally Posted by blakr Because I'm not a fan of Tony's, I shouldn't want to talk about it? You only talk about the drivers you like???

I wasn't referring to you personally, but it's just that the only people besides two or three pay-per-word journalists who still talk about Stewart leaving Gibbs are not Tony Stewart fans. I was just wondering why it is such a hot news item.
You may notice that the Scene Daily article had no recent quotes from Stewart, every direct quote is from when the story first broke, the week following Easter Sunday. Most responsible journalists have stepped away from the story, and Bob Packrass apparently couldn't find anything else to write about and had to meet a deadline.
Tony said on Race Day last week that he never planned on leaving Gibbs, but most journalists seem to have missed that. We went through the same kind of rumors and "unnamed source" stories in 2004.
Smoke only said that he was looking at options, as anybody would. Newman has been looking at options, Labonte has been looking at options, even Harvick has been looking at options, but that doesn't mean any of them will leave their teams.
It is possible that Stewart will go to a different team in 2010, but I'll wait until it gets closer to that time before I worry about it.

[Blakr]

"I was just wondering why it is such a hot news item."

The prospect of Tony leaving JGR is pretty notewothy don't you think? I realize it could all be just Tony posturing for better terms from JGR.
Time will tell.