Pardon The Interruption, But Tony Kornheiser Doesn’t Know What He’s Talking About

Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to be on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption on Wednesday at 5:30, which is interesting for one big reason: On Tuesday, PTI’s Tony Kornheiser basically said NASCAR was fixed.

Say what? Yes. Kornheiser opined Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500 pole because NASCAR had somehow let its most popular driver have an advantage.

According to Yahoo!, Kornheiser said:

There are people in and around the NASCAR world, not just drivers but people who cover the sport as well, who are winking at this one. Who are wondering if this wasn’t a set-up because it’s the pole position, it’s not winning the race.

Kornheiser went on to say he had spoken with a female reporter in the sport who believes there was a “60 percent chance” Earnhardt Jr.‘s car was “not quite up to code.”

There are many reason Kornheiser’s comments rate highly on the Dumbass Meter, this reason chief among them:

If NASCAR was in the race-fixing business, don’t you think officials would have helped Earnhardt Jr. at some point over the last two years while the sport’s ratings went in the toilet? You know, give the 88 team a little wink as they let an illegal part slide through inspection?

Clearly, that hasn’t happened. How do we know?

Because the guy has won one race in the last four years! Trust me: I’m 100 percent sure NASCAR isn’t fixing races so Earnhardt Jr. can win.

If they are, they aren’t very good at it.

The fact Kornheiser made his comments on ESPN – which broadcasts half the freakin’ Cup races (including the Chase) – is even worse. Kornheiser’s show is supposed to touch on all sports on the basis he has knowledge about many different forms of competition.

He doesn’t have much knowledge about NASCAR if he thinks it’s fixed. Sure, there are questionable decisions NASCAR makes about the competition at times, but race-fixing? C’mon, man!

Anyway, we’ll see at 5:30 today if Johnson can set Kornheiser straight. Will Dale Jr.‘s Hendrick Motorsports teammate give Kornheiser an education?