This week in NASCAR saw a lot of talking points. Â Actually, it hasn’t even been a week with all the topics that have come out. Â It all started on Wednesday when doctors for Tony Stewart announced that he was given a clean bill of health, and was released to return to work.
So that meant at Richmond, the site of Sunday’s race, the man known as “Smoke” was back at the wheel. Â NASCAR, as expected, gave him a medical waiver for the 2016 Chase, just as they did last year with Kyle Busch.
Smoke is eligible to make the Chase so long as he wins at least one race and is able to make it into the top-30 in points by early September when the Chase Grid is set.
But, just as quickly as the joy for Stewart’s return was coming, NASCAR also took another note for his return, taking away a lot of the thunder.
A day later, Stewart was fined $35,000 by the sanctioning body for violating the new personal conduct policy that was introduced this year. Â His fine was in regards to his comment about NASCAR not having a rule any longer about requiring to have five lug nuts on each wheel. Â This rule now, as has been noted with television cameras in the garage area, is being taken to the extreme because some teams are not even gluing five lug nuts onto the wheel to save time on pit stops.
For those unfamiliar with this idea, teams will use an adhesive to attach lug nuts directly to the wheel, which after a few hours will become tacky. Â Now, teams are leaving some open in order to save time on pit stops.
Stewart felt this could ultimately be a danger because of loose wheels and could ultimately hurt someone, and that NASCAR was “putting competition ahead of safety.”
On my own personal website, AllAboutHorsepower.net, I said that the fine to Stewart for showing concern meant NASCAR lacked concern. Â Stewart absolutely has a right to speak his mind, and what is more amazing is that in the days that followed, his fellow competitors believe they need to speak their minds a lot more so that these kinds of issues will get discussed. Â NASCAR will be having another meeting next week with the Driver’s Council, a group that the drivers formed to discuss the progression of the sport along with issues and concerns, and this week the sanctioning body did announce that they will look into the rule again based on these concerns.
The news of the fine seemed to take away a lot of the joy everyone had for Stewart returning, but when it came time to see him compete, the last thing on everyone’s mind was the fine levied, but rather how well he felt in the car.
This week, Smoke finished the race in 14th, a respectable spot for a returning driver. Â Next week, it will be different. Â The next race is at Talladega, a place where it’s full-throttle, no lifting, and the restrictor plates will keep the field packed together all afternoon. Â Stewart, because of his back injury, and his team decided to play it safe since he is still recovering despite being allowed to race.
He will practice the car on Friday, qualify the car on Saturday, and he will take the green on Sunday, thus earning points for the afternoon. Â But, when the first caution flag comes, because any other time would be impossible to do without losing the draft, Stewart will get out and Ty Dillon will finish the race.
It is certainly nice seeing Stewart back at the track, and now at the wheel of his car. Â Smoke has risen, and since it will be the final year he is at the wheel, it’s a guarantee he’s going to enjoy every moment.
RESULTS:  1-Edwards  2-Kyle Busch  3-Johnson  4-Kahne  5-Harvick  6-Hamlin  7-Kenseth  8-Logano  9-Truex Jr.  10-Kurt Busch
NOTABLE FINISHES:  11-Keselowski  13-Earnhardt Jr.  19-Stewart
CAUTIONS:  8 for 49 laps.  158-164 (Debris-BS); 196-202 (Debris-BS); 252-257 (Debris in Turn 2 [24]); 269-274 (#14 and 22 Accident-T2); 314-318 (Debris-T2); 321-325 (#31 and 42 Accident-T4); 327-334 (#38 and 93 Accident-FS); 360-364 (#44 Spin-T4).
LEAD CHANGES:  23 among 8 drivers.  K. Harvick 1-21; J. Johnson 22-63; C. Edwards 64; J. Johnson 65; C. Edwards 66-89; D. Hamlin 90; J. Johnson 91; M. Kenseth 92-93;
C. Edwards 94-157; Kyle Busch 158-168; C. Edwards 169-196; Kyle Busch 197; C. Edwards 198-229; K. Harvick 230-270; B. Keselowski 271-273; K. Harvick 274; B. Keselowski 275-277; Kurt Busch 278-286; Kyle Busch 287-314; Kurt Busch 315-360; Kyle Busch 361-363; C. Edwards 364; Kyle Busch
365-399; C. Edwards 400.
TIME OF RACE: Â 3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 26 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: Â 97.07 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: Â 0.675 Seconds
CHASE GRID: Â 1. Edwards-331 (points), 2 (wins); 2. Johnson-310, 2; 3. Kyle Busch-302, 2; 4. Harvick-324, 1; 5. Hamlin-258, 1; 6. Keselowski-255, 1; 7. Logano, -32 (From 1st-Edwards); 8. Kurt Busch-52; 9. Earnhardt Jr, -53; 10. Truex Jr, -85; 11. Elliott, -97; 12. Dillon, -97; 13. McMurray, -107; 14. Kahne, -109; 15. Kenseth, -119; 16. Newman, -126.