Are you saying you cannot have a motor turn a wheel if there is not a tire on it? Because, that is silly.
Or are you trying to refute that his post is about energy transfer from the motor to the wheel (as I read it) and is really about energy transfer from the motor to the ground, as you seem to think it is?
Has to be energy transfer to ground, other wise why would there be any appreciable work force. Sure would never worry about breaking something due to force if the thing is setting on a jack stand.