“It’s a true assessment of the current NASCAR world that sponsors want watered down, good-looking, well-spoken representatives of their brand. The days of raw emotion and post-race candor are mostly a memory due to the sanitizing triple-threat punch of NASCAR fines, Points deductions and Sponsor disapproval.
Still, the 36+ NASCAR races of 2007 did manage to eek out a few Bad Boy Moments™ where drivers let it hang out.
#10: Tony Stewart Hunts Down Kevin Harvick
Tony Stewart was in the second week of his annual Summer Streak on July 29th, 2007 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Allstate 400. Tony started 14th and only 42-1/2 miles later he’s leading the race. Stewart went on to lead 65 laps and win.
Tony was in a great mood during the race, evidenced by memorable highlights like asking Zippy if “he needed a pillow” up on the pit box since “he looked so comfortable.” Another time, he took both hands off the steering wheel to take a swig of his drink.
That day also spawned his classic, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty, come get you some of this” as he chased down Kevin Harvick in the closing 15 laps.
None of these things qualify Tony for my #10 Bad Boy Moment of 2007. It was Tony’s post-race interview when asked to put this Brickyard win in comparison to the last one.
“This one is for everyone of those fans in the stands that pull for me every week and take all the bullshit from everybody else.”
That comment cost Tony $25,000.00 and also gets him the #10 Bad Bay nod for 2007.
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