tool name
closeReports say Stewart wants out of contract
DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Wednesday, Apr. 23, 2008
Two online reports citing unnamed sources reported Wednesday that Tony Stewart wants out of the final year of a contract with Joe Gibbs Racing that runs through the end of the 2009 season.
Sports Illustrated’s Internet site reported that Stewart “is working on the final stages of a deal” that would put him at Haas CNC Racing next year.
ESPN.com, meanwhile, reported that Stewart is “intrigued” by the prospect of owning a team and said one scenario has Stewart getting up to a 50 percent ownership stake in Haas CNC Racing and driving one of its two Chevrolets.
Hass CNC Racing gets its engines and other racing support from Hendrick Motorsports.
The Observer tried unsuccessfully to contact Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs directly for comment.
Gibbs told ESPN.com’s Marty Smith that Stewart “definitely has some options,” but that not being with the Gibbs team next year is not among them.
“The reality is he’s racing here through 2009,” Gibbs said. “There’s no ifs, ands or buts about that one. Our stance is he’s racing for us through 2009.”
Stewart said last year he wanted to wait until after the season to talk about a contract extension, then said before this year began that those discussions still had not taken place. The Gibbs team switched from Toyotas to Chevrolets before the 2008 season began.
“I just want to get started with this year,” Stewart said during the preseason NASCAR media tour.
“I am not concerned with the end of ‘09 right now because we have ‘08 to get rough first. It’s a topic with the team here and they want to get something taken care of, but I want to see how the beginning of this year goes and get halfway through the season before we worry about talking about it again.
“Nothing has to be done anyway. It’s about now to me. We have a change of manufacturer here, let’s worry about that and worry about winning races and then we’ll worry about the rest of it.”
Stewart has won at least two races in each of his first nine seasons in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.
He has 32 victories since coming from the Indy Racing League to begin full-time NASCAR competition in 1999. Only Jeff Gordon (39) and Jimmie Johnson (32) have won more in that span.
Stewart won championships in 2002 and 2005. He is seventh in the Cup standings with five top-10 finishes in eight races this year, but does not yet have a victory in 2008. Teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin each has won once.
