Well I missed the big dust up in Charlotte this past weekend. The weather on Thursday at the track was pretty much crappy and I decided that walking around and getting more pictures of drivers in the garage was not something I wanted to do. Well, was I ever wrong. I missed the Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards tussle by just a few minutes and I could have gotten the pictures of the year. If you’re interested in the pictures they have been widely published on the internet. A simple search will find them in just seconds. I thought that it was funny when they were being interviewed after Nationwide Series qualifying right by each other, their cars almost touching. It was there that Harvick made further comments about Edwards as their ‘feud’ continues. Frankly I don’t really care about it. If you want my opinion I really think that Edwards is in better shape than Harvick so I would give him the advantage in a fight.

However, this week I want to talk about Tony Stewart and my observations of him this past weekend in the garage and on the track. On Friday before the final practice sessions began I was meandering through a very busy garage when I saw Stewart with a little boy and some people from the Make A Wish Foundation. I immediately thought of the little girl in Talladega this past April. Stewart celebrated in Victory Lane there with a young girl from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and dedicated the win to her. He said he told her before the race he’d try to win for her so she could celebrate after the race. “I told her we’d try extra hard to get her in Victory Lane today, and I’m glad we got you here,” he said. “Now we’re going to have to take her on the road the rest of the year.”
Earlier in the day I observed Stewart doing the “media deal” with Ryan Newman and a bunch of people from the Army. The Army will be sponsoring Newman’s car next season and they unveiled it in front of the media center. Stewart, normally not one to sign a lot of autographs at the track, signed Army hats and other things throughout the entire unveiling of the car. He looked relaxed and comfortable with all of it. Later, as other drivers were giving their press conferences all around them, Stewart was hanging out with a 12 year old boy from Pennsylvania. The boy has cerebral palsy, a cyst on his brain and has ADHD according to published reports. I watched as someone with Stewart brought out a fire suit top and put it around his shoulders. This little man just lit up. Because I was carrying cameras and wearing a PHOTO vest, I was asked by a Make a Wish representative if I could take a few pictures because the family only had a disposable camera. I said of course and Stewart and the young man were bonding, talking about the race and many other topics. Then out of nowhere he just turned and hugged Stewart who laughed and hugged him back. You can see a picture of them hugging here: http://www.speedwaymedia.com/photos/pic_view.asp?id=3167
The young man was having such a good time he explained that he might miss the Nationwide Series race that night because he was so wore out he wanted to go back to the hotel, something the rest of his family thought was funny, considering how excited he was earlier in the day. After taking pictures of them together, wearing the fire suit and hugging I decided that I captured enough of their meeting and I went to some of the press conferences.
I recall Jeff Gordon telling me one time that a Make a Wish meet and greet is one of the most humbling experiences he has. Gordon explained that having a person be allowed a wish, and that wish was to meet Gordon just blows him away and that each one of the children are so special. Stewart never said a word, he acted the way Gordon described.
Just a little while later I saw something in the garage that was disturbing to me. It was a clearly mentally challenged boy about 15 or 16 years old. The garage was “HOT” and cars were all over the garage coming and going onto the track for their practice sessions. Every time he saw a driver he knew go by in the car he would scream at the top of his lungs, their name or something to that effect. The problem was he was having to be restrained by two adult men who each had him by the arm, from running into the path of the cars. He was obviously fighting the handlers and it looked dangerous to me.
When the final practice was over this young man was in the entrance of the garage stalls screaming at the drivers. He started screaming he wanted a hug from Tony Stewart. He also wanted hugs from Kevin Harvick and other drivers near Stewart. As Stewart exited his stall he walked right into this child and the child started screaming and hollering that it was Tony Stewart. Stewart could not get by him and the kid said, I WANT A HUG and grabbed Stewart who looked dismayed and unprepared. However, he still managed a smile and told him he needed to get to his hauler. The kid moved right on down the line dragging two adult men behind him.
The scene above troubled me on two levels. First of all a working garage is NOT the place to bring this person. A coordinated meet and greet would be better. Sudden movement in the garage always gets my attention because you try and be safe and if something is out of place you get startled. Having this young man being restrained from getting in the way is just not wise; it’s how you get hurt. Lastly, I felt bad for Stewart. Imagine climbing from your car and being accosted by anyone let alone someone who clearly has some issues. He handled himself well, I thought.
So, I have changed my mind about Anthony Stewart. I’m certain he can still be a cantankerous individual but I feel that he handled himself in a way that he has redeemed himself in my eyes. He once climbed out of his car and hit me with profanity laden commentary for taking his picture. The next day he apologized and there has never been an issue, but I was always wary. Not anymore. Frankly I was impressed.