Road and Track magazine

[badart]

in the recent R & T, there is an article about Tony Stewart. in it, he is quoted(paraphrased) that Winston Cup drivers are great at what they do , but it is hard to call them "the best drivers in the world". he went on to say that even in the lower ranks (late models, sprints, etc.) that there are drivers that could beat most anybody, even interlopers from IRL, NASCAR because of there familiarity in their equipment, tracks, etc. i totally agree with Tony. he can win in these various series because he has for the better part of a decade competed in various formulas. i guess this debunks the rhetoric we always hear from NASCAR fans, shills, talking heads that they are the "best drivers in the world". to me, and to Tony, they are just the best in 3,200lb "stock" cars. blast away!!!!

[AtlantaIRL'r]

no blast on this one....i agree with tony on this one.....we have always known that napcar boys rarely ever do well in open wheel indy cars.........

in fact i cant think of one driver.....maybe one of the allisons...that ever finished in the top 10 at indy.....

but when the open wheel boys dip their toe in nascar...or move over to nascar....well.....

mario and aj at daytona...

tony stewart.....nascar champion...

this should be proof positive.

[stnkypete]

Originally posted by AtlantaIRL'r
in fact i cant think of one driver.....maybe one of the allisons...that ever finished in the top 10 at indy.....

The only one that comes to my mind is Tim Richmond.

[AtlantaIRL'r]

er..i believe tim richmond started in indy cars and moved to nascar.........

im talking full time nascar drivers trying to drive indy cars

[IndyJim]

It was Donnie Allison that was rookie of the year at Indy driving a backup car to Foyt, I think he got 7th back in 69 if I recall correctly.

[dog-ring]

Calling Racewriter......................

[AtlantaIRL'r]

yup. donnie allison actually finished 4th in 70 and 6th in 71...

cale yarbrough finished 10th in 72

man....these indy 500 programs rock!

[theunions]

Originally posted by IndyJim
It was Donnie Allison that was rookie of the year at Indy driving a backup car to Foyt, I think he got 7th back in 69 if I recall correctly.

He was 4th in '70, then won the World 600 the following day.

As for the current crop...I think only Kenny Wallace has the gumption to publically state his Winston Cup peers are the best racers in the entire world.

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by dog-ring
Calling Racewriter......................

"Calling Racewriter," what? I haven't read the article yet, but Tony has made comments like this many times. In context, what he's saying is that even a Cup champ can get waxed if he goes into someone else's back yard, playing by their rules. As Tony does with his late model many times a year.

Somehow, I doubt that Tony Stewart is putting down the quality of Winston Cup drivers, despite the desperate wishes of the posters on this thread.

[Boli-Nica]

As for the current crop...I think only Kenny Wallace has the gumption to publically state his Winston Cup peers are the best racers in the entire world.

Mike Skinner's wife called them the best racers on the world, on RPM-Tonight, when she was promoting some book she allegedly wrote.

[dog-ring]

Originally posted by Racewriter
"Calling Racewriter," what? I haven't read the article yet, but Tony has made comments like this many times. In context, what he's saying is that even a Cup champ can get waxed if he goes into someone else's back yard, playing by their rules. As Tony does with his late model many times a year.

Somehow, I doubt that Tony Stewart is putting down the quality of Winston Cup drivers, despite the desperate wishes of the posters on this thread.

Don't get your panties in a wad RW..........I just thought you'd want to rebutt..................

[AtlantaIRL'r]

Originally posted by Racewriter
"Calling Racewriter," what? I haven't read the article yet, but Tony has made comments like this many times. In context, what he's saying is that even a Cup champ can get waxed if he goes into someone else's back yard, playing by their rules. As Tony does with his late model many times a year.

Somehow, I doubt that Tony Stewart is putting down the quality of Winston Cup drivers, despite the desperate wishes of the posters on this thread.

listen..im not putting down anyone that straps on a helmet and proceeds to drive at high speeds for several laps......

but cmon......you can NOT compare the skills of an indycar driver and those of fender driver......history proves your wrong......

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by AtlantaIRL'r
listen..im not putting down anyone that straps on a helmet and proceeds to drive at high speeds for several laps......

but cmon......you can NOT compare the skills of an indycar driver and those of fender driver......history proves your wrong......

"History" is Indycar drivers coming from the sprint/midget wars. Club racers have not fared so well in NASCAR. But if that's what you've gotta believe, go for it.

[Lucky161]

I don't remember what kind of finish he had at Indy, but Bobby Allison turned down a full time Indy car ride with Penske. How many people could do that?

[slinger]

Paul Goldsmith finished 3rd in 1960 and 5th in 1959 at Indianapolis.