Stewart Could Face Penalty for Obscenity: #20-Tony Stewart could face his second points deduction this season for using vulgar language after telling a cameraman to "get the f-- away from me" during an ESPN2 broadcast shortly after the first Nextel Cup practice ended Saturday morning at Kansas Speedway. NASCAR officials requested a videotape of the exchange and said they were investigating the matter. A penalty could damage a bid for a third championship by Stewart, who will enter Sunday's Lifelock 400 trailing Jeff Gordon by two points in the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings. Stewart was docked 25 points and fined $25,000 for saying "bull--" in an ESPN interview after winning the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. He was fined $10,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31 for skipping media obligations after finishing second at Phoenix International Raceway on April 21. ESPN broadcaster Dr. Jerry Punch apologized to viewers after Stewart's latest transgression. "It was an unfortunate incident," ESPN spokesman George McNeilly said. "The tape speaks for itself. In our view, the photographer was doing his job."(USA Today)(9-30-2007)

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Yea, I think Tony needs to be more aware of what he is saying. I am sure the preasure on him is getting really intense and with his temper!! Not a good mix. But he is not the only one, racers are racers, driven hard to win but with the fan base today there is a camera around every corner, catching it all.

Associated Press
Posted: 28 minutes ago

Championship contender Tony Stewart will not be penalized for cursing on live TV following practice at Kansas Speedway.
The two-time series champion was talking to Robby Gordon on pit road following a Saturday practice when he was approached by an ESPN cameraman. Unaware the camera was live, Stewart said: "What? Get ... away from me," with an obscenity underlining his remark.

NASCAR traditionally fines drivers and docks points for cursing on TV, and series officials spent Sunday reviewing the footage to determine if Stewart should be penalized. After talking with ESPN officials, Stewart and his Joe Gibbs Racing team, NASCAR decided not to punish him.

"It's unfortunate, but there's a lot of other noise when you see the tape," said spokesman Jim Hunter. "If you run it over and over, you get it. But if our viewers and ESPN's viewers are sitting at home watching it, there's a chance they might not have heard that."


NASCAR justified its decision by arguing that Stewart was not in a formal interview and didn't know the camera was on, unlike when he cursed on ESPN following his July win at Indianapolis. That incident cost Stewart 25 points and $25,000.

Juan Pablo Montoya used a similar defense when he was caught on live television flashing his middle finger, but unlike Stewart, he was penalized.

J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, said Stewart needs to use better judgment and be aware of his surroundings.

"I love the fact that our sport has great access. I come from the NFL and you can't get near anybody," Gibbs said. "At the same time, how do you balance it? What's the right thing to do? Regardless of who's around you, do the right thing. It's hard.

"I thought someone was trying to interview him, and that wasn't the case, it was just a camera with a mic on it. Tony has a right to say 'I'm trying to have a conversation, give me a second.' "

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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I think reporter should lay off until the guys are ready to talk some times they just need a few minutes, and Tony is Tony he tells it like it is, and I like that about him

Vulgarity? Oh, it must be NASCAR's Tony Stewart



Tony Stewart upstaged Saturday's NASCAR Nextel Cup practice with his mouth.


During ESPN2's broadcast of Saturday's first Cup practice at Kansas City, Kan., Stewart dismissed an ESPN cameraman with a vulgarity, after Stewart finished a conversation with Robby Gordon.
Stewart's antagonistic comment, "Get the (expletive) away from me,'' was heard by the television audience, prompting ESPN broadcaster Dr. Jerry Punch to apologize to the audience for the airing of the inappropriate remarks.
"I think what occurred speaks for itself,'' said George McNeilly, ESPN's senior director of corporate and consumer communications. "It was an unfortunate incident, and we apologized immediately.''
The incident leaves NASCAR in the uncomfortable position of having to deal with offensive language from Stewart for the second time this season. He is on probation through Dec. 31 for failing to fulfill his media obligations at Phoenix in April.
Subsequently, after winning the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Stewart treated a national TV audience to a different swear word during his postrace interview. NASCAR fined Stewart $25,000 and docked him 25 driver championship points but deemed that the vulgarity did not violate Stewart's probation.
If NASCAR disciplines Stewart, the penalty likely will be announced next week.
Saturday night at Knoxville, Iowa, where Stewart made an appearance, he tried to quell the issue.
"It was kind (of) a situation where we were in a spot we didn't realize we were in," said Stewart. "I think that's going to -- let it take care of itself. It's a lot of stress and there's a lot of people around."


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So, Tony is on probation and he swears on TV, and they dock him 25 points but can someone tell me how it did not mess with his probation? Then last week he takes part in flagrant aggresive driving and nothing is done to Tony and this week he cusses on TV, again. Will they finally send him a REAL message or will they let it go?...again.

At the very minimum will he get docked 25 points,....again?

I should have known...he is above the law.
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Stewart escapes sanctions for profanity
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By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Tony Stewart apparently will not be penalized for cursing at a cameraman during an ESPN2 broadcast of a Nextel Cup practice Saturday morning at Kansas Speedway.
"We continue to discuss it, but I seriously doubt there (are) going to be any penalties," said NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter. "There were very unusual circumstances surrounding this incident. We don't condone the reaction, but it was in passing and wasn't an interview. I think we're going to move on."

NASCAR has punished other drivers for using vulgarities in TV and radio interviews, including Stewart for swearing in an ESPN interview after winning the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Juan Pablo Montoya was fined $10,000 for making an obscene gesture at a camera he didn't realize was filming live during a Busch Series practice in April at Phoenix International Raceway.

NASCAR decided punishment wasn't warranted this time in part because the vulgarity wasn't judged as very audible.

"There's a lot of other noise when you see the tape," Hunter said. "For viewers at home, there's a chance they might not have heard that."

Very well said Racecat, and I agree. These drivers are making the big bucks and that comes with having cameras on you at all times.

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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Isn't he gonna get fined again for not doing post race interviews at kansas?

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First of all, Tony will not get "penalized" for declining interviews, the only time that happens is when you finish in the top 3 and don't do a post-race interview.
Second, Today was very unfortunate and I hope Talledega is a better race for him.
And third, doesn't matter what driver it is, they have all just about said something that is concluded as "swearing" on camera or on the radio. Reporters and camera crews should give warning before they start pushing their way into what the driver is doing. Give them a heads up. You don't know what is going on or what is being said. Tony should not be penalized for what happened, Lots of drivers have done it and not been fined in the past, let it go and move on , let's just look forward to next weekend, we have one of the best races of the year coming up.'Dega is gonna be exciting!

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Nah, it's Tony, the rules dont apply to him, just to everybody else.
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Stewart escapes sanctions for profanity
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Tony Stewart apparently will not be penalized for cursing at a cameraman during an ESPN2 broadcast of a Nextel Cup practice Saturday morning at Kansas Speedway.
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Dude drops an F-bomb on live TV and since it is TONY STEWART nascar looks the othwer way. This is the what, third, fourth or fifth time he as done something stupid while on probation....just exactly when does being on probation mean anything to anyone in NASCAR? I guess when your not Tony...

Its thes same old Tony Stewart Double standard.