Team: No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet
Points: 6th (-481)
2006: 11th in Cup Standings
Key Stats: 3 wins, 11 Top-5s, 23 Top-10s
Back in 2008?: Yes, change from Chevy to Toyota
If you were Tony Stewart, you'd see that you didn't win the championship in 2007 and look no further.
You didn't win. End of story. Bring on 2008.
But fortunately, you're not Tony Stewart so you want to know why driver No. 20 didn't win the 2007 Nextel Cup crown despite a solid outlook for success heading in to the Chase.
Stewart has taken two career Cup titles and the last one he won came on the heels of a very, very strong run in the Chase. Tony has been known to habitually start the season slow (which he did, crashing at Daytona) and gain momentum in the summer (won at Chicago & the Brickyard in July and at Watkins Glen in August) and then finish strong as a guy to beat in the Chase.
Stewart followed that strategy to a near 'T' all the way until it really mattered. The Chase. Crunch time.
From Richmond at the beginning of May to Infineon in June, Stewart reeled off six top-10 finishes with a solitary 40th-place finish after wrecking with Kurt Busch at Dover.
Things continued to look solid for Stewart at the beginning of the Chase with two Top-10s to open the playoff. That all came unraveled at Kansas, though, when Stewart mistakenly should have pitted instead of staying out with a vibration, blew a tire to cause a wreck and finished 39th.
That was all Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon needed to pull away.
Stewart ended 2007 with three more Top-10s but two more 30th-place finishes ahead of moving to Toyota in 2008 with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Stewart's been silent about the move from GM to Toyota and has been reluctant to sign a new contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. Naturally, as Stewart's contract through 2009 runs closer to dry, plenty of talk will be had about whether or not Stewart will re-sign with Joe Gibbs and Toyota. If that doesn't get wrapped up quickly in 2008, look for it to become a distraction for Stewart -- or at least a point of frustration for the hot-headed driver.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-23-2008 @ 10:25AM
Bill said...
I started following Tony when he got into Indy Car Racing and followed him right into Nascar, I will still follow Tony all the way to a 2008 championship !!!!!!!!! Tony is the MAN!!!
Reply
1-23-2008 @ 10:25AM
Bill said...
I started following Tony when he got into Indy Car Racing and followed him right into Nascar, I will still follow Tony all the way to a 2008 championship !!!!!!!!! Tony is the MAN!!!
Reply
1-23-2008 @ 10:26AM
Bill said...
I started following Tony when he got into Indy Car Racing and followed him right into Nascar, I will still follow Tony all the way to a 2008 championship !!!!!!!!! Tony is the MAN!!!
Reply
1-23-2008 @ 10:27AM
Bill said...
I started following Tony when he got into Indy Car Racing and
followed him right into Nascar, I will still follow Tony all the way
to a 2008 championship !!!!!!!!! Tony is the MAN!!!
Reply
1-27-2008 @ 8:22PM
Jo said...
Tony will win no matter what he drives. So don't hate yet GO TONY GO
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1-31-2008 @ 7:06PM
Budo said...
BS!! Toyota took over the truck series in a few years and very likely will do the same in NASCAR. Gibbs is no fool and he would not go into something if he thought he could not win. What the hell has Toyota got to do with it anyway. They build more cars here than most of the "American" brands do. The war was over a very long time ago!
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2-03-2008 @ 11:18AM
MARY STROUD said...
IT'S TONY ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!HE CAN DRIVE ANYTHING AND WOULD EVEN WIN A LAWNMOWER RACE IF ALLOWED TO. NO MATTER WHAT THE NAME ON THE MOTORIZED VEHICLE, I KNOW THAT HE IS THE DRIVER OF THE PAST AND PRESENT CUP SERIES. ENOUGH OF THE BADMOUTHING....HE IS JUST DAMN GOOD!!! THANKS, SMOKE
HOPE TO SEE YOU AT ELDORA....
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2-03-2008 @ 11:12PM
h cline said...
It's all about the $$$!! i love tony and i know he will be the first to win a race in a toyota .love him or hate him he, can drive anything that has wheels .GO TONY !!!!!
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2-05-2008 @ 8:47PM
mdinc01 said...
You say the profits go overseas ,what about all the workers in the USA that work for Toyota?their money stays here and goes to all the stores and banks &wherever else they have to spend their paycheck. All that money stays here and the so call profits the companys makes never get spent in hometown USA anyway!! When was the last time you saw an owner of a fourtune 500 co. spending any money on the streets of USA?? Just think about it . GO TONY!!
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2-07-2008 @ 12:16AM
Cindy Hoover said...
Tony Stewart is the best driver out there today and look how far he has come. From winning in karts, midgets,sprints and so on....He has done so much for racers today and he will be getting that 3rd championship this year!! Gibbs made the right decision and his drivers will prove everyone wrong!! Don't hate the JGR team!! GO SMOKE!!
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2-09-2008 @ 6:56PM
Brent Will said...
Tony is nothing more than a Mama's Boy.A spoiled
Baby who's never had to do anything except stomp his
feet or cry because things just aren't going Tony's
way.AUH..Anyone can tell he's never had his ass whipp
ed.Has anyone ever seen him with a female? No because
no woman can put up with the bitch.Then again he probably doesn't measure up.That might be where that stinken attitude comes from.Hey Tony get a hair cut
it will make you look like you've lost wieght.
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2-09-2008 @ 8:56PM
Susan said...
Obviously those of you that are not supporting Tony and Joe Gibbs racing on choosing to drive Toyota, are not true Tony fans. Tony is a great driver and will drive the hell out of any car that he gets in.
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1-06-2008 @ 9:09PM
art said...
tony should be ashamed for driving a toyota. the minute nascar introduced toyota , nascar has been on a downhill slide . toyota can go to hell and so can smoke for driving one. just say no tony
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1-06-2008 @ 9:45PM
frank said...
is hms going too switch to toyota in 2008
please let me now ok frankie cipolla from newark
delaware .cipollafrank@comcast.net
2008
Reply
1-06-2008 @ 9:52PM
Bobbie said...
Well I see the haters are out already. Its a shame that you have to be rude to a wonderful man and great driver. Toyota has done great things in the truck series, ANd as far as Tony's contract he will resign with Gibbs this year. He said he isnt in a hurry to make that decission since he has plenty of time. And maybe its been decided and they are keeping it under wraps for now.
Tony will be there at the end of the regular season and he will conrend for the chase this year.No matter what make or brand of car Tony drives he will contend for the championship. WHy because he can drive the wheels off anything.
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1-06-2008 @ 11:49PM
Pablo Hernandez said...
I am a TONY STEWART fan, and what he decides is what I will go with. I am not a TOYOTA, FORD, ETC fan! I am A TONY fan! Its the driver that makes the race,and a good owner makes the car fast for the driver. GIBBS and TONY will make it.
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1-07-2008 @ 9:58AM
anne said...
I am a Tony fan for about 3 years now. I think that the move to Toyota is not going to hurt the Gibbs organization. They have one of the best engine departments in the sport. I think that Tony will go on to win the Championship this year. Tony can drive any kind of vehicle and win.
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1-07-2008 @ 2:40PM
barb davis said...
I AM A TONY STEWART FAN AN I HAVE BEEN BEFORE HE CAME TO NASCAR, SO ANY OF THE IDIOTS THAT DON'T KNOW, TOEBOY HAS DRIVEN ALL KIND OF DIFFERENT MAKES OF CARS, WHEN HE CAME TO GM HIS SPONSOR FOR HIS OPEN WHEEL CARS WAS MOPAR......... HE SAID THE CARS ALL LOOK THE SAME ON THE INSIDE. PITY A DRIVER THAT WILL ONLY DRIVE ONE MAKE OF CAR THAT SHOWS ;;;;;;;;;;;THEY HAVE LIMITED TALENT;;;;;;
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1-07-2008 @ 2:59PM
Allen Seitz said...
Tony is two things 1. A professional driver & 2. A racers racer.. Having said this he will drive what ever is put in front of him as per his contract and he as a racer will do everything possible to win period. When you reach the professional level your brand loyality goes out the door, ie Tony's switching from pontiac to chevy. He is only unhappy cause it might take longer for toyota to become MORE competitive. His abilities will be put to good use getting the toyota's up to speed. Tony wants to do one thing and that is to win period.
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1-07-2008 @ 7:28PM
paul said...
Tony Stewart will have his worst season yet...this hot headed lad will be driving a Totoya yet...The only yellin and hootin Stewart will be doing is when Zippy hits him up the ass with the strap on in the back room in his garage..tony loses again, but proudly take the rubber 9 up the poop shoot from crew chief Zippy..
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