Smoke Tells Haters Where To Stick It
Smoke Tells Haters Where To Stick It
Tony Stewart wins his first USCS race at Bubba Raceway Park in tribute to Dave Steele.
Tony Stewart scored his first victory since retiring from the NASCAR Cup series in a 33-lap A-Main at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida, on Saturday night. Stewart's return to Victory Lane came in the United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Spring Speed Xplosion finale.
Stewart has 49 NASCAR Cup series wins, three titles, and countless victories in sprint cars, but that has not diminished his desire in the slightest.
When he announced his retirement from NASCAR, Stewart said he would continue to run in sprint cars. Despite his passion for grassroots racing, he has had his share of critics.
He had a few words for them following Saturday's race.
"I'm getting sick and damned tired of people saying I'm washed up and can't do this anymore, so they can stick it in their…" well, the reader can fill in Stewart's last word.
Stewart struggled at the beginning of the year. He ran a few races in the series he owns, the All Star Circuit of Champions, to little success. He made the decision to stop racing there, which left him looking for a home. He seems to have found it with the USCS.
In his fourth start in the series, he finally figured out the setup on his No. 14 sprinter.
"We came here for the Allstars in February and just struggled," Stewart said. "We've been fighting this car, but these guys just keep dialing it and working on it and we finally got it right tonight."
Stewart showed that experience occasionally trumps youth.
"We'd been working [the high line] and making ground there," he said. "Luckily the guys running second and third didn't see it coming and we picked them guys off pretty easy on the restart. When the caution came out I knew what [Danny Martin, Jr.] was running and I knew where he was going when we got to turn one, so we gave us enough room to carry the momentum."
Martin, a series regular, finished second in the 33-lap showdown that paid tribute to Dave Steele, who lost his life in a paved sprint race last weekend. Steele used the No. 33 on his car.
Mitch Brown came from 13th on the grid to finish third.
Brown was not the only top five finisher who was forced to come from the rear. Friday night's winner, 14-year-old Tyler Clem, spun while battling for the lead. He dropped to the back of the field and recovered to finish fourth.
Terry Witherspoon rounded out the top five after starting 11th.
Defending champion Morgan Turpen finished seventh.
Results
Stewart has 49 NASCAR Cup series wins, three titles, and countless victories in sprint cars, but that has not diminished his desire in the slightest.
When he announced his retirement from NASCAR, Stewart said he would continue to run in sprint cars. Despite his passion for grassroots racing, he has had his share of critics.
He had a few words for them following Saturday's race.
"I'm getting sick and damned tired of people saying I'm washed up and can't do this anymore, so they can stick it in their…" well, the reader can fill in Stewart's last word.
Stewart struggled at the beginning of the year. He ran a few races in the series he owns, the All Star Circuit of Champions, to little success. He made the decision to stop racing there, which left him looking for a home. He seems to have found it with the USCS.
In his fourth start in the series, he finally figured out the setup on his No. 14 sprinter.
"We came here for the Allstars in February and just struggled," Stewart said. "We've been fighting this car, but these guys just keep dialing it and working on it and we finally got it right tonight."
Stewart showed that experience occasionally trumps youth.
"We'd been working [the high line] and making ground there," he said. "Luckily the guys running second and third didn't see it coming and we picked them guys off pretty easy on the restart. When the caution came out I knew what [Danny Martin, Jr.] was running and I knew where he was going when we got to turn one, so we gave us enough room to carry the momentum."
Martin, a series regular, finished second in the 33-lap showdown that paid tribute to Dave Steele, who lost his life in a paved sprint race last weekend. Steele used the No. 33 on his car.
Mitch Brown came from 13th on the grid to finish third.
Brown was not the only top five finisher who was forced to come from the rear. Friday night's winner, 14-year-old Tyler Clem, spun while battling for the lead. He dropped to the back of the field and recovered to finish fourth.
Terry Witherspoon rounded out the top five after starting 11th.
Defending champion Morgan Turpen finished seventh.
Results