Tony Stewart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Stewart
Stewart at the 2021 Indianapolis 500
Born	Anthony Wayne Stewart (1971-05-20) May 20, 1971 (age 54) Columbus, Indiana, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Achievements	2002, 2005, 2011 NASCAR Cup Series Champion 1997 IndyCar Series Champion 1995 USAC Triple Crown Champion 1994 USAC National Midget Series Champion 2006 IROC champion 2021 SRX Series Champion 2005, 2007 Brickyard 400 Winner 2009 Sprint All-Star Race winner 2001, 2002, 2007 Budweiser Shootout Winner 2006, 2008, 2009 Prelude to the Dream Winner 2005, 2007, 2012 Gatorade Duel Winner 2000 Turkey Night Grand Prix Winner 2002, 2007 Chili Bowl Winner 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion as co-owner 2017 Daytona 500 winner as co-owner Has won with three separate engine manufacturers in NASCAR (Pontiac, Toyota, Chevrolet)
Awards	1999 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year 1996 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2001) USAC Hall of Fame (2016) Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (2018) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2019) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020) National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (2022) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
618 races run over 18 years
2016 position	15th
Best finish	1st (2002, 2005, 2011)
First race	1999 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race	2016 Ford EcoBoost 400 (Homestead)
First win	1999 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 (Richmond)
Last win	2016 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Wins Top tens Poles 49 308 15
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
94 races run over 18 years
2013 position	96th
Best finish	21st (1998)
First race	1996 Goody's Headache Powder 300 (Daytona)
Last race	2014 DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona)
First win	2005 Hershey's Take 5 300 (Daytona)
Last win	2013 DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles 11 41 6
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
6 races run over 9 years
Best finish	61st (2005)
First race	1996 Cummins 200 (IRP)
Last race	2005 MBNA RacePoints 200 (Dover)
First win	2002 Virginia Is For Lovers 200 (Richmond)
Last win	2003 Virginia Is For Lovers 200 (Richmond)
Wins Top tens Poles 2 5 0
NASCAR Pinty's Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish	11th (2002)
First race	2002 Canada Day Shootout (Cayuga)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
IndyCar Series career
26 races run over 5 years
Team(s)	Team Menard Tri-Star Racing Chip Ganassi Racing
Best finish	1st (1997)
First race	1996 Indy 200 (Disney)
Last race	2001 Indianapolis 500 (Indy)
First win	1997 Samsonite 200 (Pikes Peak)
Last win	1998 New England 200 (Loudon)
Wins Podiums Poles 3 7 8
Statistics current as of June 19, 2021.

Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), known as "Smoke", is a famous American race car driver. He used to co-own a NASCAR team called Stewart-Haas Racing. Tony is a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He won two championships as a driver (2002, 2005), one as both owner and driver (2011), and one as an owner (2014).

Tony Stewart has won many different types of races. These include titles in Indy, midget, sprint, and USAC Silver Crown cars. He is the only driver in history to win championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR.

He raced full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series) until 2016. He drove the No. 14 Chevrolet SS for his own team, Stewart-Haas Racing. Before that, from 1999 to 2008, he drove the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing. With Joe Gibbs, he won two Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005. In 2011, Tony became the first owner-driver to win the Cup Series championship since Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

Tony Stewart is also the only driver to win the Cup Series championship under different scoring systems. He won under the old points system and the newer playoff format. He also won titles with three different sponsors. In 2019, Tony was voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted in 2020. He is married to NHRA Top Fuel Drag Racer Leah Pruett.

Racing Career Highlights

Tony Stewart started racing go-karts in Westport, Indiana, in 1979. He won his first championship in 1980. He was very successful early on, winning a World Karting Association championship in 1987. He then moved up to the United States Auto Club (USAC) series in 1991. He was the USAC Rookie of the Year in 1991. He also won the USAC National Midget Series in 1994 and 1995. He became the USAC Silver Crown Series champion in 1988.

IndyCar and NASCAR Xfinity Series

Stewart's 1999 Indianapolis 500 car

In 1995, Tony Stewart made history. He was the first driver to win USAC's "Triple Crown". This means he won championships in all three of USAC's main divisions: National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown.

He then moved into Indy car racing. In his first Indy car race in 1996, he finished second. For his first Indianapolis 500, he started from the pole position. He led many laps but finished 8th. When he wasn't racing Indy cars, he also started racing NASCAR stock cars. In 1996, he made his NASCAR Busch Series debut.

In the 1996-97 season, Tony won his first Indy Racing League (IRL) race at Pikes Peak. He led almost every lap. He went on to win the IRL championship that year. During this time, he earned his nickname "Smoke". This was because his tires would often slip during dirt races, and sometimes his engine would blow.

In 1998, he raced in both the Busch Series and IndyCar. He won two more IndyCar races and finished 3rd in that championship. In the Busch Series, he had five top-five finishes in 22 starts. He almost won his first Busch Series race but finished second. His strong performance led Joe Gibbs to sign him for a full-time Cup Series ride in 1999. This ended his full-time IndyCar career.

Tony continued to race in the Busch Series part-time after moving to the Cup level. In 2013, he won the opening Nationwide Series event at Daytona. This win was exciting but also had a scary crash behind him.

NASCAR Cup Series

Tony Stewart started his NASCAR Cup career in 1999. He qualified his No. 20 The Home Depot-sponsored Pontiac on the front row for the 1999 Daytona 500. He impressed many people with his driving.

Joe Gibbs Racing (1999–2008)

1999 Season: Rookie Success

Tony had an amazing rookie season in 1999. He won three races: at Richmond, Phoenix, and Homestead. This set a new record for wins by a rookie. He also had 12 top-five finishes and 21 top-ten finishes. He ended his first Cup season in 4th place in the points standings. This was the highest finish for a rookie in the modern era. He easily won the Rookie of the Year award.

Tony also tried to race in two big events on the same day. He competed in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C. He finished in the top 10 in both races.

2000 Season: Six Wins

In 2000, Tony won a series-high six races. These included wins at Martinsville, New Hampshire, Michigan, Homestead, and both Dover races. He finished 6th in the standings that year.

2001 Season: Second in Points

The 2001 season started with a big crash for Tony at the Daytona 500. His car flipped twice, but he was okay. He went on to win three more races that year. He finished 2nd in the final points standings.

For the second time, Tony raced in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He finished sixth in the Indy 500 and third in the Coca-Cola 600. He completed all 1,100 miles of both races.

2002 Season: First Cup Championship

Tony won his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2002. He won two races early in the season. He had some challenges, including an injury from a crash at Darlington. He also had a disagreement with a photographer. Despite these issues, he won at Watkins Glen. His consistent top-10 finishes helped him take the points lead. At the end of the season, Tony held off Mark Martin to win his first championship. This was his last season driving a Pontiac.

2003 Season: Defending Champion

As the defending champion, Tony had a quieter 2003 season. His team, Joe Gibbs Racing, switched to Chevrolet cars. He won two races that season and finished 7th in the points standings.

2004 Season: Eldora Speedway Owner

In 2004, Tony raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race, finishing fourth. In the Daytona 500, he led many laps and finished second. This was his best finish in the Daytona 500.

Tony won his first race of the season at Chicagoland. He also won at Watkins Glen, even though he was feeling sick. He qualified for the first-ever Chase for the Sprint Cup. However, a crash early in the Chase hurt his chances for a second championship. He finished 6th in the points.

In November 2004, Tony became the owner of Eldora Speedway. This is a famous half-mile dirt track in Ohio.

2005 Season: Second Cup Championship

Stewart on two wheels before going on to win the 2005 Dodge/Save Mart 350, at Infineon Raceway

2005 was a very successful year for Tony Stewart. He won his second Cup championship. He won five races, including at Infineon, Daytona, New Hampshire, Watkins Glen, and Indianapolis. Winning at Indianapolis, his hometown track, was very special to him.

Stewart's 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winning car on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum.

After winning races, Tony started climbing the fence to celebrate with fans. This was a move he borrowed from IndyCar driver Hélio Castroneves. Tony said he liked winning his 2005 championship even more than his 2002 one because he was more calm that year. He became one of the youngest drivers to win multiple championships. He also made the most money in a single NASCAR season, earning over $13.5 million.

2006 Season: IROC Champion

Tony had a mixed 2006 season. He won races at Daytona and Martinsville. He also suffered a shoulder injury from crashes.

Tony won the IROC series championship in 2006. He won two of the four races. He even offered to give back his prize money if IROC would hold a race at his Eldora Speedway, but this did not happen.

2007 Season: More Wins

Stewart races by at Texas Motor Speedway in 2007.

Tony started 2007 by winning his second Chili Bowl Nationals midget car race. He also won the Budweiser Shootout and his qualifying race for the Daytona 500.

He won his 30th career Cup Series race at Joliet. On July 29, 2007, he won the Brickyard 400 again. This was his second win at his favorite track, which is close to where he grew up. He also won at Watkins Glen.

2008 Season: Final Season at JGR

Tony started 2008 with a 3rd-place finish in the Daytona 500. He had some tough luck with crashes and tire problems during the season.

In July 2008, Tony made a big decision. He partnered with Gene Haas to create a new racing team called Stewart-Haas Racing. He would leave Joe Gibbs Racing to become a co-owner and driver. His last win with Joe Gibbs Racing was at Talladega. He was awarded the win after another driver was penalized.

Stewart-Haas Racing (2009–2016)

2009 Season: Owner-Driver Wins

Stewart pits his No.14 Impala in the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In 2009, Tony Stewart became a driver and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. He drove the No. 14 car, which was a tribute to his hero A. J. Foyt. He won his first race as an owner-driver in the non-championship NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXV. He then won his first points race at Pocono. He also won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona and another race at Watkins Glen International. Tony finished the regular season as the points leader. He ended the season in 6th place overall.

2010 Season: Two More Wins

Stewart after winning the 2010 Pepsi Max 400

In 2010, Tony won two races: at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway. He also earned his first pole position in five years at Texas Motor Speedway.

2011 Season: Third Cup Championship

Stewart during the 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Tony Stewart had an amazing 2011 season. He won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, his third overall. He won five races, all during the Chase playoffs. He won the opening Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway and then at New Hampshire. He also won at Martinsville and Texas.

In the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Tony won the race. He tied with Carl Edwards for total points. But Tony won the championship because he had more wins (five to Edwards's one). This made him the first owner-driver to win the championship since Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

2012 Season: Continuing Success

Stewart during the 2012 Kobalt Tools 400

In 2012, Tony won the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This was his 45th career win. He also won the Auto Club 400. On July 7, he won his fourth Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. He finished the season 9th in points with three wins.

2013 Season: Injury and Recovery

Stewart during the 2013 Coke Zero 400

Tony had a challenging start to 2013. He was involved in some crashes and had some disagreements with other drivers. He won his only Sprint Cup race of 2013 at Dover. This extended his streak of 15 straight seasons with at least one win.

Stewart after winning the 2013 FedEx 400

However, on August 5, 2013, Tony was in a serious sprint car crash. He broke bones in his lower right leg. This injury ended his streak of 521 consecutive Sprint Cup starts. He was out for the rest of the season.

2014 Season: Return to Racing

Stewart during the 2014 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Tony was cleared to race again in 2014. He returned to sprint car racing, winning a race in the same type of car that caused his injury. He said he loved sprint car racing too much to stop.

In NASCAR, Tony had some good finishes, including a 4th at Bristol and a 5th at Auto Club. However, he missed three races due to a tragic incident outside of NASCAR (see below). He was granted a waiver to still be eligible for the Chase, but he did not win a race to qualify. He finished the year without a win, ending his 15-year winning streak. However, his team, Stewart-Haas Racing, won the Owner's Championship with Kevin Harvick.

2015 Season: Tough Year

Stewart racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2015

The 2015 season was tough for Tony. He did not win a race for the second year in a row. He also had only three top-10 finishes. Despite this, he supported his crew chief.

In August, Tony showed great kindness. He lent his private plane to the family of IndyCar driver Justin Wilson after Wilson was seriously injured in a crash. Wilson sadly passed away later.

On September 27, 2015, Tony announced that he would retire from full-time racing after the 2016 season.

2016 Season: Final Season and Last Win

On January 31, 2016, Tony injured his back in a dune buggy accident. This meant he missed the first eight races of his final season. NASCAR allowed him a waiver, meaning if he won a race and finished in the top 30 in points, he could still make the Chase playoffs.

Stewart after winning the 2016 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Tony returned to racing in April 2016. The very next week at Sonoma, he won his first race in three years! He made a last-lap pass to take the victory. This win was very popular among other drivers. It also helped him move into the top 30 in points, making him eligible for the Chase.

Tony had several more strong finishes that year. His bid for a fourth championship ended in the first round of the Chase. He finished his 18-year Cup career with a 22nd-place finish at Homestead-Miami. Before the Brickyard 400, Tony was inducted into the USAC Hall of Fame.

Death of Kevin Ward Jr.

On August 9, 2014, Tony Stewart was involved in a sprint car race in New York. During the race, another driver, Kevin Ward Jr., crashed. Ward Jr. then got out of his car and walked onto the track. Tony Stewart's car hit Ward Jr., and Ward Jr. sadly passed away.

Tony was very sad about the accident. He decided not to race in the NASCAR event the next day. He released a statement saying how much sadness he felt for Kevin Ward Jr.'s family and friends.

Officials investigated the incident. They said there was no evidence to suggest Tony had criminal intent. NASCAR also changed a rule after this event. Drivers involved in a crash must now stay in their cars until safety crews arrive, unless there's an emergency like a fire.

Tony returned to racing later that month. He gave a very emotional interview, saying how difficult the tragedy was for him. In 2018, a lawsuit filed by the Ward family was settled out of court.

Business Ventures

Tony Stewart is not just a driver; he also owns several motorsports businesses.

Motorsports Team Ownership

Tony owns various open-wheel short-track racing cars.

Stewart-Haas Racing

After the 2008 season, Tony became a 50% owner of Haas CNC Racing. The team was renamed Stewart-Haas Racing. This allowed Tony to be an owner-driver. The team started with two cars and has grown to four. They have won two NASCAR Cup Series championships. Tony won one in 2011 as a driver-owner. Kevin Harvick won another in 2014 as a driver for the team.

In May 2024, it was announced that Stewart-Haas Racing would close at the end of the 2024 season. However, Gene Haas will keep one of the team's spots and restart as Haas Factory Team in 2025.

Tony Stewart Racing

Tony Stewart Racing is another team Tony owns. They have won many championships in USAC racing. They also compete in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series. In 2021, Tony Stewart Racing started competing in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series with dragsters. In 2024, Tony himself will drive a Top Fuel Dragster.

Motorsports Venues

Tony Stewart owns or co-owns several race tracks. He bought Eldora Speedway in Ohio in 2004. He also co-owns Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky and Macon Speedway in Illinois.

All Star Circuit of Champions

In 2015, Tony Stewart bought the All Star Circuit of Champions. This is a racing series for sprint cars. It was his first time owning an entire racing series.

Superstar Racing Experience

In 2020, Tony Stewart and former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham created the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX). This is a stock car series that started in 2021. Tony also drives full-time in this series. He won the championship in 2021.

Other Ventures

Tony also owns Custom Works, a company that makes remote-controlled race cars. He was also the driving force behind the Prelude to the Dream. This was a dirt late model race held at Eldora Speedway that raised over $4 million for charities.

Tony Stewart Foundation

The Tony Stewart Foundation was started in 2003. Its main goals are to help children who are very sick. It also helps drivers injured in racing. The foundation supports other charities that protect animals. In October 2024, it was announced that the foundation would be closing.

Career Achievements

Awards and Honors

• 1995, 2002 Hoosier Auto Racing Fans Driver of the Year
• 2001 National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductee
• 2002, 2005, 2011 Richard Petty Driver of the Year
• 2003, 2006, 2012 Best Driver ESPY Award recipient
• 2016 Sonoma Raceway Wall of Fame inductee
• 2018 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame inductee
• 2019 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee
• 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
• 2022 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee

Records and Milestones

Tony Stewart has 49 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. This places him thirteenth on the all-time winners list. He is ninth among drivers in the modern era (since 1972).

He is the only driver to complete the Indianapolis 500–Coca-Cola 600 Double Duty. This means he raced in both events on the same day. He is also the second owner-driver to win a NASCAR championship.

Tony Stewart has the most Cup Series wins at these tracks:

• Chicagoland Speedway (3 wins)
• Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 wins; tied with Greg Biffle)
• Watkins Glen International (5 wins)

In Popular Media

Tony Stewart has appeared in many different types of media.

Television

• From 1999 to 2003, Tony was a guest analyst for NASCAR races on TV.
• In 2007, he was in commercials for Subway.
• He appeared in a 2008 Toyota commercial.
• Tony is a member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers and appears in their commercials.
• In 2010, he was in a commercial for Burger King.
• On February 14, 2012, Tony was a guest star on the TV show Last Man Standing.
• In 2013 and 2014, he appeared as himself in a cartoon series called Tooned.
• In 2022 and 2023, Tony joined the FOX Sports broadcast team for NASCAR races.

Video Games

• Tony Stewart has been on the cover of several NASCAR video games. These include NASCAR Thunder 2004, NASCAR 08, and NASCAR '14.
• He is also a playable driver in NASCAR Heat 4 and NASCAR Heat 5.
• In 2020, he partnered with Monster Games for Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing. A second game, Tony Stewart's All American Racing, came out later that year.
• In 2021, a third game, "SRX: The Game", was released.

Other Media

• He appeared in the music video for 3 Doors Down's song "The Road I'm On".
• Tony is mentioned in songs by Lil Wayne, Clyde Carson, Boosie Badazz, and Jerreau.
• He appeared in the 2005 movie Herbie: Fully Loaded.
• Tony has appeared in YouTube videos with rallycross driver Ken Block and drag racer Leah Pruett. He married Leah Pruett in 2021.

Images for kids

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  Stewart's 1995 Silver Crown Championship car

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  Stewart's 1995 Sprint Car Championship car

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  Stewart's 1995 Midget Car Championship car

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  Stewart's 1996–97 IRL championship car