Sports

Meet the Driver: Tony Stewart


Published: July 20, 2008

Career Sprint Cup wins: 32

Number of appearances in the Chase for the Cup: 4

Career top-10 finishes: 200

Sprint Cup wins this season: 0

Top-10 finishes this season: 9

Notable: Recently announced he would leave Joe Gibbs racing at the end of 2008 to become part-owner of his own two-car team, Stewart-Haas Racing. ... Led 20 of 36 races for 980 laps in 2007. ... Won Allstate 400 at Brickyard for second time in his career in 2007. ... Three of five wins in 2006 came in races during the Chase for the Cup. ... Won series championship in 2005. ... Won five races (Infineon Raceway, Daytona, New Hampshire, Indianapolis and Watkins Glen) over a seven-race stretch in 2005. ... Earned first restrictor-plate win in 2005 at Daytona International Speedway. ... In 2005, had seven top-10 finishes in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, including three runner-up finishes. ... Was one of four drivers in the points top 10 for the entire 2004 season. ... Won series championship in 2002. ... Finished last at Daytona 500 in 2002. ... March to the top in 2002 began at New Hampshire in July with the first of nine consecutive top-15 finishes. ... Finished second in points standing in 2001, trailing only Jeff Gordon. ... Won at Infineon in 2001 for first series road-course victory. ... Won six races in 2000, including both Dover events. Also won at Michigan, New Hampshire, Martinsville and Homestead. ... Raybestos Rookie of the Year in first season with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999. ... First series rookie to win three races. ... Raced in Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on May 30, 1999, finishing ninth at Indy and fourth at Charlotte. ... Won Indy Racing League championship in 1997. ... Earned 1996 IRL Rookie of the Year; also Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year in '96 after taking the pole and leading the first 44 laps. ... Has four IROC wins, three IRL/IndyCar wins, two Craftsman Truck Series wins and seven Nationwide Series wins. ... Purchased Eldora Speedway speedway located near Rossburg, Ohio in late 2004 from Earl Balte. Is currently a co-owner of Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY. He also co-owns Macon Speedway in Macon, IL along with Kenny Schrader, Kenny Wallace and Bob Sargent. ... Began hosting his own satellite radio show for Sirius Satellite Radio in 2007. ... Appeared in a Three Doors Down music video. ... Has appeared in commerials for Armor All and Subway. ... Appeared on the cover of the video games NASCAR 2001 in 2001, NASCAR Thunder in 2004 and NASCAR 08 in 2008. He won championships after appearing on the cover in 2002 and 2005.