Head2Head: Smoke signals

By NASCAR.COM
May 1, 2008
03:43 PM EDT

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This week's hot-button topic is Tony Stewart. More to the point, Smoke's off-track opportunity -- opportunities? -- to have an ownership stake in a Cup Series team while still driving at a championship level.

Read both sides of the argument, and then weigh in with your take.

Should Stewart seek team ownership while still driving?


YES	NO
Whatever Tony wants, Tony gets. ... Time after time, Stewart has proven that whatever goal he sets for himself becomes a successful reality. He wanted a Cup Series championship, he got two. He wanted a Brickyard win in his home state, he also got two. And if he wants to become a team owner, then he'll own two of those as well. At Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, news broke that Stewart is open to a career change and listening to offers beyond what his long-time team owner Joe Gibbs has on the table. Critics believe it is an unwise decision for Stewart, now 36 years old, to leave the Joe Gibbs Racing empire and drive for Haas CNC Racing or what may be a satellite Hendrick Motorsports team for ownership options. I say, Stewart is ready for a change. It's human nature, what else do you want from him? Granted, the fans have their selfish reasons. They want to see their favorite driver on the track until the poor guy qualifies for social security ... or until Stewart surpasses Jeff Gordon's wins total. You get the point. But Stewart, following a natural progression many of his processors have followed, needs to explore the next step of his career. Stewart has won more than $67 million in his 10 years competing in the Cup Series. Keep in mind, the money isn't all his, considerable portions have gone to Joe Gibbs Racing, but nevertheless, money, in my opinion, is not what entirely fuels Stewart's curiosity. A challenge, bigger ventures and milestones; these are important to Stewart and that's evident by his track and sprint car ownership. And Stewart won't be the first Cup driver to compete on the track and run the front office at the same time. Michael Waltrip, Robby Gordon and Kevin Harvick all own teams in NASCAR and remain competitive. I'd tell Stewart to pick a nice corner office somewhere in Mooresville, N.C., sip wine with Richard Childress and race when you want to; you've earned it. • Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.	So Tony Stewart is interested in maybe owning a Cup team -- is he insane? Look, more power to him if he wants to drive and be an owner at the same time, but if he is interested in winning -- which I assume he is -- then this is not the way to go. The last successful driver/owner was Alan Kulwicki, and his championship came in 1992. This is a different time now, and owning your own car does not lead to success. Just look at the current crop of contenders we have in the Cup Series right now. Michael Waltrip, Robby Gordon and Kyle Petty are the three driver/owners in the series and let's be honest -- none of them are contenders to win a championship. Gordon has two top-five finishes since he's been an owner in 2006; Petty has one top-five in the last decade; and Waltrip, while new to the Cup ownership realm, has struggled in his two seasons as a driver/owner. Now, Smoke is a better driver than those three combined, and has the championships to prove it. But the fact is, owning your own car and being championship caliber is a near-impossible task. If Smoke wants to own a team, he needs to follow the path of his Cup friends Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick. Harvick with KHI and Junior with JR Motorsports have put together a blueprint for success. Harvick's No. 33 truck is the reigning series champion; and Junior is on the cusp of success in the Nationwide Series. In both instances, the owners drive in the Cup Series for someone else (and challenge for a title), but are successful on the owner front as well. Start up a Nationwide team; heck, even drive some races in his own Nationwide car if he wants. But don't own and drive in the Cup Series -- he's just setting himself up for failure and I don't want to see Tony Stewart become an afterthought. Can Stewart be the exception to the rule? Why take that risk? My advice for Tony: Win your titles with Joe Gibbs Racing and when you're ready to get out of the car for good -- then let's see that name in the owner box. Anytime before that just seems foolish. • Bill Kimm, NASCAR.COM The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

YES

Whatever Tony wants, Tony gets. ... Time after time, Stewart has proven that whatever goal he sets for himself becomes a successful reality.

He wanted a Cup Series championship, he got two. He wanted a Brickyard win in his home state, he also got two.

And if he wants to become a team owner, then he'll own two of those as well.

At Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, news broke that Stewart is open to a career change and listening to offers beyond what his long-time team owner Joe Gibbs has on the table.

Critics believe it is an unwise decision for Stewart, now 36 years old, to leave the Joe Gibbs Racing empire and drive for Haas CNC Racing or what may be a satellite Hendrick Motorsports team for ownership options.

I say, Stewart is ready for a change. It's human nature, what else do you want from him?

Granted, the fans have their selfish reasons. They want to see their favorite driver on the track until the poor guy qualifies for social security ... or until Stewart surpasses Jeff Gordon's wins total. You get the point.

But Stewart, following a natural progression many of his processors have followed, needs to explore the next step of his career.

Stewart has won more than $67 million in his 10 years competing in the Cup Series. Keep in mind, the money isn't all his, considerable portions have gone to Joe Gibbs Racing, but nevertheless, money, in my opinion, is not what entirely fuels Stewart's curiosity.

A challenge, bigger ventures and milestones; these are important to Stewart and that's evident by his track and sprint car ownership.

And Stewart won't be the first Cup driver to compete on the track and run the front office at the same time. Michael Waltrip, Robby Gordon and Kevin Harvick all own teams in NASCAR and remain competitive.

I'd tell Stewart to pick a nice corner office somewhere in Mooresville, N.C., sip wine with Richard Childress and race when you want to; you've earned it.

• Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

So Tony Stewart is interested in maybe owning a Cup team -- is he insane?

Look, more power to him if he wants to drive and be an owner at the same time, but if he is interested in winning -- which I assume he is -- then this is not the way to go.

The last successful driver/owner was Alan Kulwicki, and his championship came in 1992. This is a different time now, and owning your own car does not lead to success. Just look at the current crop of contenders we have in the Cup Series right now.

Michael Waltrip, Robby Gordon and Kyle Petty are the three driver/owners in the series and let's be honest -- none of them are contenders to win a championship. Gordon has two top-five finishes since he's been an owner in 2006; Petty has one top-five in the last decade; and Waltrip, while new to the Cup ownership realm, has struggled in his two seasons as a driver/owner.

Now, Smoke is a better driver than those three combined, and has the championships to prove it. But the fact is, owning your own car and being championship caliber is a near-impossible task.

If Smoke wants to own a team, he needs to follow the path of his Cup friends Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick.

Harvick with KHI and Junior with JR Motorsports have put together a blueprint for success. Harvick's No. 33 truck is the reigning series champion; and Junior is on the cusp of success in the Nationwide Series. In both instances, the owners drive in the Cup Series for someone else (and challenge for a title), but are successful on the owner front as well.

Start up a Nationwide team; heck, even drive some races in his own Nationwide car if he wants. But don't own and drive in the Cup Series -- he's just setting himself up for failure and I don't want to see Tony Stewart become an afterthought.

Can Stewart be the exception to the rule? Why take that risk?

My advice for Tony: Win your titles with Joe Gibbs Racing and when you're ready to get out of the car for good -- then let's see that name in the owner box. Anytime before that just seems foolish.

• Bill Kimm, NASCAR.COM

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.