pandr
09-03-2011, 05:03 PM
Some drivers send regrets, say they won't be at White House
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Friday, Sep. 02, 2011
HAMPTON, Ga. – What was intended to be a moment in the spotlight for NASCAR was disintegrating on Friday as criticism mounted over the four Sprint Cup Series drivers who turned down an invitation from the White House.
Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle all cited scheduling conflicts in saying they would not attend a meeting Wednesday with President Obama to recognize last season’s Cup champion and title contenders.
In an early NASCAR news release, Kurt Busch was listed among those who would not attend, but Busch said Friday he would be there.
In email and on social media, some fans and drivers maintained there was no valid reason for drivers to skip the function.
“Who would turn down the opportunity to go to the White House?” Busch said.
“IMO (in my opinion) ... regardless of political views, when POTUS sends an invite and wants to honor you at the White House, you accept,” five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson said on Twitter.
And some of Johnson’s fans posted angry messages about the driver accepting the invitation.
Edwards, who meets quarterly with Obama as a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, has a non-NASCAR event previously scheduled.
Neither Harvick nor Stewart would say what took precedence on their schedules. Biffle said he had committed to a two-day conference scheduled months ago by a sponsor.
“I understand the honor and things,” said Harvick. “Just with everything we have going right now, there’s no way possible to reschedule the things we had going next week.”
Stewart scoffed at the notion he turned down an invitation as some sort of political statement.
"Trust me, if we could be there, we'd definitely be there," Stewart said Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "I've always viewed it as an honor just to get an invitation to go. I've enjoyed every trip every time I've gone there. I've learned more and more about it. And it's pretty cool feeling to be with most powerful man in the world. That's not an invitation we take lightly."
Biffle said he has to go to a two-day retreat in Minnesota for 3M, the major sponsor of his No. 16 car. The event has been scheduled for months and will be attended by people from around the world.
"I saw some comments that we rejected the invitation," Biffle said. "To me, that's not what we did. Rejecting means no, I don't want to go, I'm not going to go, you can't make me go. That's rejecting. Having a conflict and not being able to participate is something different."
Biffle and Stewart pointed out they've been to the White House several times, meeting both former President George W. Bush and Obama, who was inaugurated in 2009.
"I've been there since he's been in office," Biffle said. "I've got a handshake picture with the president and I in the bookcase in my office, right behind my desk."
Stewart wouldn't reveal his conflicting plans — "I'm not going to put anybody under the bus by talking about it" — but insisted it was a commitment he couldn't break or change. Otherwise, he would have been at the White House.
"Every time I go, I learn more about each room," Stewart said. "If you get the chance, you should go. It's really worth it."
Jeff Burton is among the drivers who will be meeting with the president. This isn't about politics, Burton said.
"I worked really hard to free up my schedule when I got the invitation because, to me, it's important for the president of the United States to invite NASCAR to come so he can honor us," he said.
"I mean, that's really what this is. A lot of people have turned this around like we're going to honor the president. The president asked us to come to honor us. That's a hell off a compliment for our sport and us as individual drivers and teams."
C/P Thats Racin
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Friday, Sep. 02, 2011
HAMPTON, Ga. – What was intended to be a moment in the spotlight for NASCAR was disintegrating on Friday as criticism mounted over the four Sprint Cup Series drivers who turned down an invitation from the White House.
Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle all cited scheduling conflicts in saying they would not attend a meeting Wednesday with President Obama to recognize last season’s Cup champion and title contenders.
In an early NASCAR news release, Kurt Busch was listed among those who would not attend, but Busch said Friday he would be there.
In email and on social media, some fans and drivers maintained there was no valid reason for drivers to skip the function.
“Who would turn down the opportunity to go to the White House?” Busch said.
“IMO (in my opinion) ... regardless of political views, when POTUS sends an invite and wants to honor you at the White House, you accept,” five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson said on Twitter.
And some of Johnson’s fans posted angry messages about the driver accepting the invitation.
Edwards, who meets quarterly with Obama as a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, has a non-NASCAR event previously scheduled.
Neither Harvick nor Stewart would say what took precedence on their schedules. Biffle said he had committed to a two-day conference scheduled months ago by a sponsor.
“I understand the honor and things,” said Harvick. “Just with everything we have going right now, there’s no way possible to reschedule the things we had going next week.”
Stewart scoffed at the notion he turned down an invitation as some sort of political statement.
"Trust me, if we could be there, we'd definitely be there," Stewart said Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "I've always viewed it as an honor just to get an invitation to go. I've enjoyed every trip every time I've gone there. I've learned more and more about it. And it's pretty cool feeling to be with most powerful man in the world. That's not an invitation we take lightly."
Biffle said he has to go to a two-day retreat in Minnesota for 3M, the major sponsor of his No. 16 car. The event has been scheduled for months and will be attended by people from around the world.
"I saw some comments that we rejected the invitation," Biffle said. "To me, that's not what we did. Rejecting means no, I don't want to go, I'm not going to go, you can't make me go. That's rejecting. Having a conflict and not being able to participate is something different."
Biffle and Stewart pointed out they've been to the White House several times, meeting both former President George W. Bush and Obama, who was inaugurated in 2009.
"I've been there since he's been in office," Biffle said. "I've got a handshake picture with the president and I in the bookcase in my office, right behind my desk."
Stewart wouldn't reveal his conflicting plans — "I'm not going to put anybody under the bus by talking about it" — but insisted it was a commitment he couldn't break or change. Otherwise, he would have been at the White House.
"Every time I go, I learn more about each room," Stewart said. "If you get the chance, you should go. It's really worth it."
Jeff Burton is among the drivers who will be meeting with the president. This isn't about politics, Burton said.
"I worked really hard to free up my schedule when I got the invitation because, to me, it's important for the president of the United States to invite NASCAR to come so he can honor us," he said.
"I mean, that's really what this is. A lot of people have turned this around like we're going to honor the president. The president asked us to come to honor us. That's a hell off a compliment for our sport and us as individual drivers and teams."
C/P Thats Racin