Critics corner: Tony Stewart and David Ragan

After last October's race at Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR driver Tony Stewart called David Ragan a dart without feathers.
Ragan, who is still considered a rookie in the Nextel Cup Series, answered to that criticism during a teleconference Tuesday.
"When I first heard that, I think my dad called me," said Ragan, driver of the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. "I said, man, that's pretty cool, at least Tony Stewart knows who David Ragan is. Six months ago I was a kid wanting his autograph; now he knows who I am."
Ragan and Stewart have talked numerous times since that last race at Martinsville. Ragan said he expects Stewart to be more critical as their careers progress. But Ragan said he hasn't lost any respect for Stewart because of his comments.
"It didn't bother me at all," Ragan said. "Things like that I think just make you a tougher guy, have more respect for the series that we're competing in now. But after I heard what he said, I was just kind of glad he knew who I was."
Later that year, during the NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Ragan won a charity auction to take a ride with Stewart around the track. Legend has it that was when Ragan decided to confront Stewart about the comments Stewart made after the Martinsville race.
Ragan said that wasn't exactly the case.
"They were all playing up the Martinsville thing," Ragan said. "I really wasn't looking to just do something for Tony, I was looking to do more for the charity and for the young kids that were there that was going to benefit from me spending the money."
Ragan rode in the back of Stewart's truck for a parade lap around the track before the Cup race at Atlanta. Ragan called it a win-win situation for himself and the charity.
"But I did tell Tony that he should match whatever I spent," Ragan said, "and I think he did."