NASCAR to fine Stewart

UPDATE Tony Stewart is not expected to be fined for skipping the post-race press conference last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, but Juan Pablo Montoya may be for an obscene gesture made on camera prior to a Busch Series practice. NASCAR officials are reviewing whether to penalize the former Formula One star who made the gesture at a cameraman following him from Nextel Cup qualifying to the Busch garage for practice. According to officials at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Montoya thought the cameraman was a person who has been shadowing him as part of a documentary for more than a month and that the gesture was all in fun. ESPN.com

04/24/07 This past Saturday after finishing second to Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart was so aggravated after leading the most laps only to be passed by Gordon in the final stages of the race he refused to take part in post race interviews, mandatory according to NASCAR, and that could bring Stewart a hefty fine in the coming days.

"I don't go to victory lane when he wins," Gordon said. "If I was Tony, and if I felt like I was going to say something I really didn't want to say, I think I'd avoid (the media), too."

Gordon alluding to Stewart's retirement talk after Texas added that NASCAR without Tony wouldn't be the same.

"I love what Tony brings to the sport. He's got a flair to him," Gordon said. "He's a great race-car driver. I don't want to drive him out of this sport. I want to see him have more fun, and I understand what he means when he says that."