[LSC9901]

A lot of people are starting to write off Tony Stewart as a championship contender this season. To be sure, there's plenty of evidence that he's out of the running in the Chase: trailing overall leader Jeff Gordon by 198 points, Stewart has just five races to make up ground on a driver who's got 24 top-10 finishes in 31 races this year. Time, clearly, is running out.
And yet ... and yet ... nobody in Cup racing responds better to adversity than Stewart. Witness how he ran off three quick wins in the wake of his fallout with teammate Denny Hamlin at Daytona last July; or the way he won three of the final 10 races last year after failing to qualify for the Chase. You incur Stewart's wrath at your peril.

SI.com - Writers - Mark Beech: Anger may be Stewart's biggest ally in Chase - Friday October 19, 2007 5:36PM

[bears9]

No way is Smoke out of it. He has Martinsville and Texas still to go by no stretch of the imagination is Stew out.

[wingkey1]

Do the math in consideration of the possibilities regardless of how outlandish they may seem and the fact is that he and others are clearly "in contention".

Only at which time math says "no" is anyone out.

No. Next question.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

Do the math in consideration of the possibilities regardless of how outlandish they may seem and the fact is that he and others are clearly "in contention".

Only at which time math says "no" is anyone out.

No. Next question.

With all the strange finishes since the beginning of the chase this year .... YES anyone who is not officially mathmatically out, can most certainly win.

[Bob Tanner]

I see things a little differently than Beech does.

It's true that anger can be a great motivator. However, I believe it works best if that anger is centered inward, towards one's self, driving for better performance.

Tony's anger seems to be seldom toward himself, but rather focus on others, enabling him to shirk responsibility for problems he has. Playing the role of victim just gets under my skin.

Think of it with a football metaphor; when defensive linemen make disparaging statements about an offensive lineman's manhood, mother, wife, girlfriend, dog, sheep, or whatever, they're trying to instill anger, to get the offensive's mind off his primary objective and lose control. That's seemingly what forty other drivers have accomplished with our boy Tony. Any fighter will tell you that if you make your opponent mad and cause his him lose focus, he's yours.

Maybe Stewart could take a lesson from the 17th Century English philosopher, Francis Bacon, when he said: "Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor."

[JBurtonFanInMayberry]

Yes............

[Bob Tanner]

It might not be over for Tony but the Fat Lady is loosening up her vocal cords.

[PenelopePitStop]

Well, after today, I'd say yes.

It was refreshing to see the drivers mix it up mid-race today, but in the end, it was all HMS. Newman gave it the good try, but Johnson won.

If the season doesn't come down to Gordon and Johnson, I'll be very surprised, and actually very pleased. I'd prefer Gordon over Johnson, but would prefer Stewart over both. Would prefer Burton over all three. Fat flippin' chance of that one.

At this late point in the season, I'd just like to see someone other than HMS win races. Burton did a good job today ... for a while. Jr. as well. Even the driver I no longer mention was right up there for a while.

I know many disagree, but I do believe the fat lady is warming her vocal cords. However, this is one time I hope I'm wrong!



http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb112&pp=ZN

[LSC9901]

Just to screw up everything I'd like to see mother nature throw a wrench into the works and make Clint the Champion. It would great to see a non HMS team win at the very end and it would be great to see RCR move to the front of the pack.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Just to screw up everything I'd like to see mother nature throw a wrench into the works and make Clint the Champion. It would great to see a non HMS team win at the very end and it would be great to see RCR move to the front of the pack.

Don't know Clint. Don't follow Clint. Don't know if I like or dislike Clint. But, I'm with you. However, wishing for that is like wishing to win Megabucks!

It's over.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Don't know Clint. Don't follow Clint. Don't know if I like or dislike Clint. But, I'm with you. However, wishing for that is like wishing to win Megabucks!

It's over.

Isn't one of the mega bucks hooks "You can't win if you don't play" ???

Bowyer is playing hard. He did what was necessary to get in the chase, he's even won a race in the chase. I believe his feelings of ability to do it are increasing with each race. There is a chance for him.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Just to screw up everything I'd like to see mother nature throw a wrench into the works and make Clint the Champion. It would great to see a non HMS team win at the very end and it would be great to see RCR move to the front of the pack.

It would be great to see an RCR driver win the Cup. It'd be doubly great for it to be an "Outsider" like Clint.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Isn't one of the mega bucks hooks "You can't win if you don't play" ???

Bowyer is playing hard. He did what was necessary to get in the chase, he's even won a race in the chase. I believe his feelings of ability to do it are increasing with each race. There is a chance for him.

I'm not disagreeing with you. If he wins, I will be elated. I'm just not going to hold on to that hope ...

And BTW, I've been playing Megabucks since its inception. For me, the motto should be "You can't lose if you don't play." I've hit $70 twice. That's it!

[JG24]

Slight chance, But Tony has alot of points to make up especially with only 4 races remaining. If anyone can do it than Tony can, but if Jeff and Jimmie keep running how they are and get their consistant top 5 finishes, no one will catch them.

[nascarfan24]

Nope. I think Clint is out of it now. It's a two man run and may eventually become a one man walk.