Tony Stewart opened NASCAR's Daytona Speedweeks with a weighty -- and heated -- issue.
Stewart was visibly upset Friday as he stormed through the garage after getting black flagged and sent off the track during a practice session for failing to step on a scale before getting behind the wheel.
Stewart was one of 25 drivers practicing for Saturday night's exhibition Sprint Unlimited, but one of just three who didn't weigh in before the session started. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch also had to return to the scale after getting in their cars.
Stewart didn't heed the initial call.
NASCAR eventually flagged Stewart, ordering him back to the garage to get weighed. But he refused, and when he did finally park his car after his practice run ended, Stewart and crew chief Chad Johnston were called to the NASCAR hauler for what likely was a stern lecture about following the rules.
They emerged 10 minutes later, and Stewart headed straight for the scale.
Stewart refused to answer questions about what happened on the track and in the hauler, but was overheard telling teammate Kevin Harvick's crew that he was called in because he didn't weigh in and didn't heed the black flag.
Each driver is required to step on the scale so the minimum car weights can be calculated. Heavier drivers, like Stewart, can have slightly lighter cars.
Stewart's spotter, Bob Jeffrey, weighed in on Twitter, posting "In my 35+yrs that was a 1st."
Best of the best
From Mike Bianchi, a columnist with the Orlando Sentinel, who wrote about the passing of college basketball coaching greats Jerry Tarkanian and Dean Smith:
"Best Tark quote of all time: 'The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky, they're going to give Cleveland State another year of probation.'
"Best Dean Smith quote of all time: 'If you make every game a life-and-death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot.' "
Tiger tales
"Did you see where Tiger Woods fell to 62nd in the latest World Golf Rankings?," wrote Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind. "It's his worst ranking since he joined the PGA Tour in 1996. Woods has fallen so far out of favor, new parents have stopped naming their babies Eldrick."
Added Hayes: "Woods is listed as 50-to-1 to win The Masters, which doesn't sound that bad until you hear that Dennis Quaid is 40-to-1."
Record holder
Wisconsin basketball star Frank Kaminsky, to The Associated Press, on fellow senior Josh Gasser breaking a school record with his 127th career start: "He's been here 15 years, so it's not surprising at all."
Sports quiz
Against what opposing team did Babe Ruth hit his first career major league home run?
Sports answer
The New York Yankees on May 6, 1915
Sports on 02/15/2015