 | | A safety official separates Joe Nemechek, left, and Kevin Harvick after each wrecked out of the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Credit: AP |
By Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
May 23, 2005
11:22 AM EDT (15:22 GMT)
CONCORD, N.C -- With five laps remaining in the first of three segments in the Nextel All-Star Challenge, Tony Stewart got into the back of Joe Nemechek's Chevrolet exiting Turn 4, sparking a 10-car pileup that sent seven drivers home early. "I come off of [Turn] 4 behind Nemechek and we're running the same speed he was and all the sudden I'm in the back of him," Stewart explained. "I don't know if he had to lift [the accelerator] for some reason or what, but I was right behind him when he did and there was nowhere for me to go." Nemechek saw it differently. "Looks like Tony Stewart got his nose in there making it three wide coming off the corner," Nemechek said. "He got in there and got in my left rear quarter panel and started turning me and I hit Kevin and I just caused a heck of a big wreck." When the wrecking stopped, Nemechek and Harvick exited their respective Chevrolets and met in the infield grass for a heated verbal exchange until Harvick pushed Nemechek's helmeted head. "You know, if guys want to race like that if Kevin Harvick wants to be the [expletive] that he is, that's wrong, you know?" Nemechek said. As Harvick made his way toward the infield care center, a crew member from Nemechek's team ran by and screamed an expletive, further infuriating Harvick. "I'm getting really tired of Joe Nemechek acting like he don't do nothing," Harvick said. "It may not have been his fault, but after Daytona and [Nemechek commented] I should be fired and all that, he can take that and shove it where the sun don't shine, baby. "The worst thing about it is, all these cars are what we're brining back next week. Pisses me off, to say the least, but I'm just tired of [Nemechek] running his mouth." Along with Stewart, Harvick and Nemechek, those involved in the accident included Michael Waltrip, Kasey Kahne, Terry Labonte, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. "I was right behind it and everybody shot to the left," Kahne said. "I tried to go into the grass and they came down on me. I couldn't really see what started it. I saw three or four cars sideways and getting together." Is it a product of the winner-take-all format? "It's the all-star race. Everybody is going for it. Everybody is trying to win," Kahne said. "You try to do whatever you can to get up front and things are going to happen." | 
