Tony Stewart gave his unfiltered thoughts on the post-race altercation at a Late Model event at Martinsville Speedway involving NASCAR driver Corey Heim. “Smoke” called one of the crew members who punched Heim an “idiot” and questioned why they were getting involved.
Heim, who finished third in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, was punched multiple times by Chad Bryant Racing crew members outside the Martinsville hot dog stand in the infield.
The incident stemmed from on-track contact after the checkered flag between Heim and Chad Bryant Racing driver Treyten Lapcevich. Seven members of the team were punished for their actions in the aftermath.
Stewart Calls Out ‘Idiot’ For Punching Heim: ‘No Right to do That’
Stewart appeared as a guest on the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast and was shown footage of the on-track contact between Heim and Lapcevich. The three-time Cup champion was then shown the fight footage following the incident.
Stewart called out one of the crew members who took a swing at the 23XI Racing driver by saying he had no right to do so.
“That guy swinging over the top, that guy’s an idiot. I don’t care who he is, I don’t care where he’s coming from — he has no right to do that. There’s two guys driving the cars. He doesn’t know who they are. … What an idiot. Literally what an idiot. I don’t give a [expletive],” Stewart said.
When Stewart sits back on a Monday and scrolls through his Facebook feed, he sees a common theme in the videos he watches.
Pavement Late Model fights.
“All I do is sit there on Monday, because my back’s worn out and stuff from all the years of racing, I sit and lay on my recliner and I get on Facebook and watching clips of stuff — it’s always pavement Late Model guys acting like idiots,” Stewart said.
Stewart Confused Why Crew Members Get Into Fights
Stewart is not sure why crew members are insistent on getting into fights.
The former NASCAR team owner went as far as to suggest that the teams do not care about winning races but rather getting the upper hand in post-race scuffles.
“I don’t know if they really give a [expletive] about winning the race. They just want to win the fight. It’s like two guys are driving these damn things. Knock it off,” he said.
Regardless of the situation, Stewart believes post-race confrontations should be left up to the drivers and is baffled by how crew members interject themselves in the situations.
“If you’re not driving the car, why are you in the middle of that? There’s still two guys. … Forty-five minutes later, they go, ‘Why did our guy turn down on him (Heim) when it was over?’ … Now, you got two torn up race cars, which is bad enough, but it’s still those two guys’ responsibility. I just don’t get it. I still don’t get it,” Stewart said.
Stewart is set to come out of NASCAR retirement next month to run the Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega. He will be behind the wheel of the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram.
Tony Stewart Blasts ‘Idiot’ Who Punched Corey Heim at Martinsville