Bob Jennings

It's moving day. I'm putting Bob Jennings' World O' Racing on the World Wide Web after four years off and on America Online. Originally I was going to maintain the original and identical website on AOL for the time being. However AOL cut me off at 12 meg even though I'm entitled to 20 meg because I transferred from Global Network Navigator in January 1997. But that's okay. I didn't want to keep duplicate websites on separate domains anyway. 

The last update to the original America Online version of Bob Jennings' World O' Racing was on November 11. After things settle down, I'll begin deleting web content from the AOL server. Eventually the AOL home page will only carry a link to www.bjwor.com, which is the new address. But I'll let the old version ride for awhile. Just don't be confused by imposters. If you're reading this web page, you're looking at the genuine Bob Jennings' World O' Racing.  

This has been a big job. I began transferring pages to the "Web" on Memorial Day weekend. It's tedious to go through a "zillion" html files, changing this URL and that. But now it's done. I hope the transfer will increase the traffic to this site. Last May I disconnected the counter on my home page when AOL quit supporting AOLpress. The counter showed 3639 when I took it off the home page. I'm not happy with that number obviously. I wonder if I'd get more hits if I didn't beat up on CART so much?    

The modem in my Micron Millennia 450 went bad a few weeks ago. Otherwise I might've completed this piece before now, which was originally intended to be a characterization of Tony Stewart as a contemporary A.J. Foyt. I was going to title it "Racer in the Foyt tradition" or something like that. But after the modem quit I had to confine my Internet access to those times when I could sign on using my wife's Sony VAIO laptop. The only time I get to do that is when she's not home and doesn't have her computer and that isn't very often. Other things happened in the meantime and my mood changed. So what was supposed to be "Racer in the Foyt tradition" became "Moving day." Now you see how a convoluted mind works during the creative (?) process.  

I posted a short commentary written by Chuck Walden. I work with Chuck. He's a wonderful guy and a very experienced, knowledgeable, articulate racing fan. He's the only person I've met who's as obsessed about racing as I am. We have a terrific time reminiscing. What I like best is that no matter what I mention, Chuck knows what I'm talking about. I wish I could talk Chuck into going to some races with me. The trip to and from those races would be priceless for all the bench racing that would occur.  

I've been after Chuck Walden to give me something to put on this website and he finally did. Hopefully as time goes along Chuck will share more insight and memories. Chuck especially loves the 1960's era of racing and his number one hero is Parnelli Jones. It would be great if he puts some of the things he remembers on the internet. 

By the way, just to show you how much Chuck loves racing, he took the plunge last May to ride around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with J.J. Yeley, at near racing speeds, in one of those custom two seater Indy cars the Indy Racing League uses for promotion.   

George Harrison died Thursday November 29 at age 58. It's hard to believe Harrison, the youngest member of the Beatles, was 58 and even harder to believe only Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr remain with us. Talk about feeling old, with the youngest of the Beatles dying of cancer at 58, it makes me feel even older. 

I love the Beatles! I remember the first time I heard a Beatles record on the radio. It was January 1964 and the song was "I Want To Hold Your Hand." It was unlike anything I listened to before. I was a junior at Carmel High School and got caught up in Beatle mania like everyone else. Beginning with the excitement over the first trip to the U.S. and their debut on the Ed Sullivan TV show on a Sunday evening in early February 1964, continuing through the sad day in April 1970 when I heard the official  announcement of the breakup though the current time, Beatles music provides a back drop for my life as it does for millions of other Americans of the "baby boom" generation.  

At first the excitement came from discovering and sharing something so original and exciting with my friends at school. I can still recall winter and spring 1964 when the flood of current and re-issued Beatles music kept regenerating the energy that came when I first heard "I Want To Hold Your Hand." It was all great: "I Saw Her Standing There," "She Loves You," "Twist And Shout," "Please Please Me," "From Me To You," "Roll Over Beethoven," "All My Loving," "This Boy," "Can't Buy Me Love," "P.S. I Love You" and "Love Me Do."

I loved their music and enjoyed the continuous growth the Beatles were showing throughout summer 1964. But the thing that really grabbed me came during the first week of my senior year in high school. 

The Beatles played twice at the Indiana State Fair in 1964. This was a week or two after the film "A Hard Day's Night" appeared in local movie houses at the very height of Beatle mania. There was an afternoon show in the fairgrounds Coliseum before a packed house of something like 10,000 screaming fans. Ticket demand was so hot, an evening show was hastily scheduled in front of the grandstand on the one mile dirt race track because the Coliseum was already booked for another State Fair event.   

I was able to get tickets to the evening show for my friend Bill Correll and I. I'll never forget that night. Bill and I were a couple hundred yards from the stage and when the Beatles appeared, they looked like dark clad stick figures under the bright spotlights. But that didn't detract from the magic.

I hadn't been to a rock show before when I went to see the Beatles in late summer 1964 at the Indiana State Fair. So I had no idea what was going to happen. Bouncin' Bill Baker, the morning "deejay" on Indianapolis radio station WIBC, was the "emcee." The seats on the race track, in front of the stage, and in the main grandstands and surrounding bleachers were packed with frenzied teenagers. There was an electricity that's hard to describe 37 years later. About the only thing I can compare it to is the  start of the "Indianapolis 500."

Seated (actually standing) near Bill and I was a pretty teenage girl who came from Tennessee to see the Beatles. I think she was with her mother. I believe her name was Patty Hunter. She was sweet and I kept encouraging Bill to talk to her. In those days I was too shy to do much flirting and I probably liked Patty better than Bill. It was one of those infatuations that add to the atmosphere of a special moment.  

I wondered what was going to happen as I watched other rock and roll acts go on stage to perform. I believe the opening act was the Bill Black Combo. If you recall Bill Black, who played a big stand up string bass, was one of Elvis Presley's original music partners along with guitarist Scotty Moore. I'm  forgetting someone but Jackie DeShannon ("Put a little love in your heart") also played that night.

We were all anxious to see the Beatles and I doubt if many people were paying much attention to the opening entertainment. As the time for the Beatles to appear drew closer, the tension increased by the minute. Several police cars drove into the area. Something like 50 Marion County sheriffs rode in on motorcycles and formed a barrier in front of the stage. Bouncin' Bill cautioned us that if anyone tried to get on stage, the Beatles would leave immediately.

When Baker introduced the Beatles the place erupted. There were so many flashbulbs going off, it looked like a combat attack. The noise from screaming girls was deafening. The thought came to me when I saw the Beatles jump on to the stage that I was looking at the most famous people in the world, the kings of all they surveyed.   

We could barely hear music because of the crowd noise. The Beatles opened their set with "Twist And Shout" and closed with "Long Tall Sally." but it was mostly vibrations from the primitive sound system that identified the eleven songs performed. Paul McCartney did all the introductions, but we couldn't hear much of what he said either. I do recall the loudest noise came when Paul introduced Ringo singing "Boys." During the earliest days of Beatle mania it seemed like Ringo was the most popular member of the group in America. The fact no one could hear didn't really matter. The thirty to 45 minutes the Beatles were on stage that night is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.

I saw the Beatles perform two more times. The next year in August, I went with two friends, Joe Lowe and John Weisenberger, to see the Beatles play the evening show at White Sox Park in Chicago. In August 1966 the Beatles opened their final tour in Chicago at the International Amphitheater. I was at the second show with John Weisenberger and another pal Tom Zurschmeide, about seven rows from the stage. I even saw George Harrison break a guitar string.  

I already owned every Beatles recording available (I still do) when I went to see the Beatles at the 1964 Indiana State Fair. Despite the noise, the performance shook me up and made me a certified Beatles fanatic. After that anything to do with the Beatles was near the top of my consciousness. One of the greatest things about the Beatles is they never stayed in the same groove. They were always moving in a new direction. After the flush of Beatle mania started to become familiar, the band's charisma became secondary to the innovation of their music.    

One of the best things about the Beatles Anthology series is that it allows a close look at how the Beatles creative process worked as they developed songs in the recording studio and evolved  musically. The Beatles were all outstanding musicians both vocally and instrumentally. My personal favorite is Paul McCartney. I thought Paul was the best singer and the most creative although John Lennon was right behind in both categories. But George Harrison was exceptional too. George was the master of guitar riffs that were as big a part of the Beatles sound as the Lennon and McCartney vocal harmonies. As the Beatles traveled their musical journey, the sweet Harrison sound became even more integral to the overall package. As many people have testified since Harrison's death, the quality of George's musical compositions grew. Had the Beatles continued as recording partners beyond the "Abbey Road" LP, I believe George Harrison's contributions to the group would've increased tremendously.

After the Beatles breakup, Harrison became a regular visitor to racing events. Formula One was his true passion. George was a friend of Jackie Stewart. Harrison recorded a song dedicated to the late Ronnie Peterson titled "Faster" that is one of the better records about racing. Over the years I read some of his commentaries in British publications professing a preference for Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones or someone like that at various times. George's comments were knowledgeable and insightful. I remember Harrison and his good pal Ringo Starr showed up at Phoenix International Raceway in April 1994 as guests of Emerson Fittipaldi to see his first oval race.

George Harrison had a continuing presence in my life, always an object of intense interest. I will miss him. Rest in peace.   

It finally happened. Daddy walked away from his child. Roger Penske really did leave CART for the Indy Racing League. It's hard to believe isn't it? 

Penske took his time announcing his decision to abandon CART for the IRL. People were beginning to wonder (myself included) if CART had come up with enough money to run Gil de Ferran in a Penske entry next year as had been rumored. The official word finally came in a press release on December 6. Tim Cindric, who runs the Marlboro Penske operation in Reading, Pennsylvania, did most of the talking and as far as I know the "Captain" himself still hasn't said anything about the switch to the IRL.

The official reason given was that Marlboro felt it could get better marketing opportunities from the IRL schedule than by staying in CART. That's all well and good but my guess is that Penske knows CART is a sinking ship and he wants to get away from it. It's obvious Penske's racing priority is being at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May with the best package.

The Indy Racing League has enjoyed a good year from one end of the calendar to the other. Toyota's announcement last Spring that it would join the IRL full time in 2003 was a big deal and it seemed to set the tone for the year. Toyota's announcement gave Tony George and company the opportunity to say "gotcha" to CART.

The crowds were good or at least improved at every track where the IRL raced, with the exception of Atlanta Motor Speedway where the series was shown the door. There were sellouts at Kansas and Nashville. There was a near sellout at Chicagoland Speedway. There was a much larger crowd than expected in Richmond. There were 70,000 people in June and another 60,000 in October for IRL races at Texas Motor Speedway. CART only sold 58,000 tickets for its cancelled race in Texas last April. Phoenix International Raceway and Pikes Peak had larger IRL crowds than in recent years although there's room for improvement at both tracks. The IRL crowd in Miami was called comparable to the number of people who showed up in 2000 for the CART race. Even though there was a modest crowd at Gateway International Raceway for the IRL race, it was still twice as large as the number who came for the CART race in 2000.

CART dropped Nazareth Speedway for 2002 and the Indy Racing League picked up the Pennsylvania oval for next year. So International Speedway Corporation threw CART out of Michigan International Speedway and replaced them with the IRL. Then to further the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - International Speedway Corporation relationship, a 400 mile race at California Speedway next March was added to the 2002 IRL schedule. 

Goodyear made an offer to Tony George to be the sole tire supplier for the Indy Racing League. The same offer wasn't made to CART. George turned them down in favor of an exclusive contract with Firestone however. 

The contract with ABC, ESPN & ESPN2 to televise the "Indianapolis 500" and all IRL races was strengthened and extended. Perhaps most importantly ABC dropped CART from its programming beginning next year. 

All the while, CART experienced one problem after another. I don't know which was more beneficial to the Indy Racing League in 2001, the IRL gains or the CART losses. However the biggest prize for the IRL was getting Roger Penske and the biggest loss for CART was losing Penske's Marlboro cars which won the two most recent season championships. 

A couple weeks ago Robin Miller accused Indy Racing League fans who are happy Roger Penske has defected of being hypocritical. Let me set you straight Robin. I still don't like Roger Penske. I still blame Penske for nearly destroying Indy car racing. I don't particularly want Penske's white and red Marlboro cars messing up the IRL with all the crap they bring. But having Roger Penske abandon CART for the IRL does two things. It raises the prestige and recognition of the IRL and it creates a public relations nightmare for CART.

I'll tell you something else too. I don't subscribe to the theory that Roger Penske is going to wipe up in the IRL. For one thing, Penske can't buy his way into the winner's circle as easily in the IRL as he did in CART. For another, I don't think either Castroneves or de Ferran are good enough to dominate in IRL competition. Put Buddy Lazier or Sam Hornish in a Penske car and see what they do.   

A few days after his initial statement welcoming the Penske team to the Indy Racing League, Tony George predicted there was a 50 percent chance other teams would jump ship and leave CART for the IRL. So far nothing like that has happened, but Chip Ganassi looks like a potential IRL car owner to me. Ganassi isn't happy about Chris Pook taking over as CART CEO. A few weeks ago Chip as much as told Steve Ballard of The Indianapolis Star he was coming to the IRL.

Barry Green just barely kept from having his Kool sponsorship force him to the IRL. Brown & Williamson relented at the last minute and announced they would sponsor Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy next season in CART. But B&W issued a stern warning that CART better get it's act together by the end of next season or they will re-evaluate their position.

Yes I know, Chris Pook has taken over and some think he's the last chance for CART. James Grosfeld, Jon Vannini, Pat Patrick, Mario Andretti and Robin Miller are all ready to kiss Pook's ass. I'm putting down my second Wild Turkey 101 as I write this. But Jerry Forsythe and Chip Ganassi are both mad as hell. The storm clouds continue to gather. But I'll defer commenting further on the latest CART "soap opera" until a future "presentation." I have other stuff to write about now.    

The story broke recently that Rick Galles will fold his IRL team without sponsorship. It was thought  Budweiser would be the primary sponsor for Unser Jr. and Galles in 2002.  Apparently that deal went sour because Anheiser Busch only offered Galles and Unser $500,000 for an entire season. I wonder if Bobby Unser's (what a creep) statement to the press several weeks ago, that his nephew should retire because he lost his desire, had anything to do with Budweiser tightening their money bag.

I imagine Tony George will find a ride for Al Jr. for the "Indianapolis 500." Maybe someone like John Menard or A.J. Foyt will give Little Al a car in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But I'm not sure George will be eager to continue paying Unser a high dollar retainer (rumored to be as high as $3 million) to keep him running the full Indy Racing League schedule. Little Al has been less than spectacular during his two IRL seasons. I'm not sure how much impact Unser has on the fans these days, especially with the arrival of the Marlboro Penske team to the IRL. 

Right now there's a fast group of daring "speed demons" racing in Tony George's series. Buddy Lazier, Eddie Cheever, Scott Sharp, Greg Ray and Robbie Buhl are becoming recognizable. On a race by race basis Al Unser Jr. hasn't been a regular member of this group of Indy Racing League "hot shots." During the 2001 season Sam Hornish and Jaques Lazier joined the group of front runners in the IRL. For the most part in 2001, Unser Jr. raced with the "also rans." With Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran joining the group of full time players it may become more difficult for Little Al to keep going.        

However I'm not ready to write off Unser Jr. His win at Gateway International Raceway in August was a masterful performance reminiscent of the old Little Al. During the 2000 season, Unser showed  glimpses of his former skills in both races at Texas Motor Speedway with strong runs. He had an opportunistic win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He also led at Phoenix International Raceway and had a strong third place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The good runs for Al Jr. came fewer this past season but I don't think the Galles Starz G Forces were very good race cars either. Maybe a break from the Galles team will give Unser an opportunity at better equipment. Unfortunately I'm not sure where better equipment will come from. 

So it's a disappointing time for people who want to see Al Unser Jr. return to the days when he was one of the very best. I was hopeful Al Unser Jr. would resurrect his career in the IRL. Sadly that hasn't happened yet. I'll keep my fingers crossed that some good news materializes in the coming weeks. I still want to see Al Jr. get another "Indianapolis 500" win. I think that can happen given the right circumstances.     

I've restored a piece I did on Tony Stewart on the original version of this website titled Crown Prince O' the IRL. The piece was written and published in late 1996. At the time I was feeling a lot of optimism about the future of the Indy Racing League and Tony Stewart's role in that future. 

I was also full of myself when I wrote all that Indiana stuff. Maybe I was James Whitcomb Riley in another life. I suppose I should be embarrassed.

In the years since, Tony George has steadfastly persisted in the face of ridicule and difficulty. Finally, we can feel confident in declaring victory over CART in the Indy car wars. Regrettably Tony Stewart hasn't played much part in the struggle since he left for NASCAR Winston Cup in 1999. Had I known Stewart's career would take the direction it has when I wrote "Crown Prince" in 1996 my disappointment would've been big.

However as time passes I have hope Tony Stewart may return to the Indy Racing League. Perhaps Stewart will become a full time IRL competitor in 2003. I watched the NBC telecast of the Winston Cup season finale at New Hampshire International Raceway. In a post race interview Stewart as much as said his NASCAR days are numbered. In regard to the bonus he earned for finishing second in Winston Cup standings, Tony said he would bank the money so he can "eventually" leave the series. 

Where will Tony Stewart race if he isn't in NASCAR? Will there be any CART series after next season? I can't see Stewart wasting his time on that anyway. Formula One seems unlikely. The Indy Racing League, a bunch of USAC races and an occasional Winston Cup appearance and maybe even a couple runs in the World Of Outlaws looks like a good bet to me. 

I might be dreaming but I can visualize Tony Stewart leading the Toyota-Chip Ganassi-Target charge into the IRL in 2003. I guess we'll have to wait and see if that happens or not. If Stewart is as unhappy with NASCAR as he indicates in public, it seems reasonable to me he'd return to the IRL, especially if he's well paid for it.     

Despite his three Winston Cup wins and second place in the NASCAR points, this has been a tough racing season for Tony Stewart. There's been one controversy after another in 2001 and on several occasions Stewart expressed bitterness and frustration regarding NASCAR. Regardless of the personal issues, Stewart had a decent season on the track in The Home Depot Pontiac number 20.     

Considering the way the 2001 Winston Cup season began, it's a miracle Tony Stewart finished second in points, even if he was 352 behind champion Jeff Gordon and only 22 and 57 points ahead of third and fourth place finishers Sterling Marlin and Ricky Rudd respectively. When I saw The Home Depot Pontiac flipping end over end on lap 173 of the "Daytona 500" I had a sick feeling in my stomach. That was a frightening scene with 18 stock cars bouncing off each other and the orange number 20 ending up on top of teammate Bobby Labonte's Interstate Batteries Pontiac. For several anxious moments I  worried Tony Stewart was history.

As things turned out, Stewart's wild ride was only an opening act for the disaster that took Dale Earnhardt from this planet later that tragic Sunday February 18 afternoon.

Stewart had 15 "top fives" and 22 finishes in the top ten. Compare that to 18 and 24 respectively for Jeff Gordon. In contrast, Stewart finished sixth (4570) in the points in 2000 despite winning a season high six Winston Cup races. Tony had 12 top five finishes and 23 finishes in the top ten during 2000. In a way those numbers tell the story of the Winston Cup championship point structure. The points are spread so evenly over the 43 car field in each race that consistency is the keyword to each season. Being consistent means being champion in NASCAR. How else can you explain that Tony Stewart finished sixth in 2000 with six wins, 12 top five finishes and 23 top ten results but finished second (4608) in 2001 points with three wins, 15 top fives and 22 top tens? Bill France and company have woven a tangled web.

For the sake of another comparison, look at Tony Stewart's record breaking Winston Cup rookie season of 1999 when he finished fourth in Winston Cup points with 4774. Stewart won three races with twelve top five finishes and 21 finishes in the top ten. Isn't it remarkable how each of Tony's three Winston Cup seasons look like the others?

When Stewart began running the NASCAR Busch series on a regular basis in 1998 he often looked fast but something was lacking. The race that stands out in my mind was the "GM Goodwrench Service Plus 200" at Rockingham on February 21. Stewart's Shell Pontiac number 44 was leading on the final lap. But Matt Kenseth's Lycos Chevrolet bumped Tony out of the way coming through the final corner and was able to go by for the win. I was surprised and I think Stewart was too.

In 1998 Stewart had 22 starts in the Busch series with no wins and five finishes in the top five. Tony was overshadowed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth. Perhaps Stewart was still in an Indy car mindset in 1998, since he was doing the Indy Racing League full time for John Menard. I was leaving Charlotte Motor Speedway after the IRL race in July 1998 when my friend Dave Fuller asked me if I thought Tony was ready for Winston Cup. I thought for a moment and answered no.

So there was a NASCAR learning curve for Tony Stewart. But it hasn't been a long learning period. Right now I'd classify Stewart as the second best NASCAR driver behind Jeff Gordon, but just by the smallest of margins. Given the fact that Gordon and Stewart both developed their skills in USAC open wheel competition, that suggests to me open wheel drivers are superior in talent to their stock car contemporaries. The promise shown by Ryan Newman this past season reinforces that notion.

One of the really neat things Tony Stewart accomplished in 2001 was his Winston Cup win on June 24 at Sears Point Raceway. I haven't seen the video of Stewart's Sears Point win. I understand Tony was the beneficiary of contact between Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon or something like that near the end of the Sears Point race. But that doesn't diminish Stewart's accomplishment, especially when you consider the total number of professional road races he's done is six. That's equal to racing at Sears Point and Watkins Glen in each of his three Winston Cup seasons.     

The biggest day of the 2001 racing season for Tony Stewart had to be Sunday May 27. He began his day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, making his fifth start in the "Indianapolis 500." Stewart led Chip Ganassi's four car Target assault from seventh on the starting grid. 

It seemed like Tony Stewart took a conservative approach during much of the 85th "Indianapolis 500." Other than a few reconnaissance practice laps in the Tri Star Kroger Dallara that was driven by Jeret Schroeder during May 2000 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Stewart hadn't raced an Indy car since the 1999 "Indianapolis 500." Tony was able to put the number 33 Target G Force into the lead on lap 46 of the 2001 "500" for a single lap during a pit stop sequence. But he later radioed his crew that it took him "135 laps" to remember how to race an Indy car again.

As the "500" moved into the later stages the red Target car 33 began to make its presence felt. By the time the race had passed the 300-mile mark, Stewart was running in the top four along with the Penske twins Castroneves and de Ferran and Michael Andretti. After Cory Wittherill's accident in turn four brought out the yellow flag on Lap 134, the leaders came into the pits together three laps later. 

Castroneves was playing rough and ragged in the pits last May 27. Apparently Helio pissed off Brian Barnhart because the Penske Dallara was ordered to drop behind Stewart's Target number 33, when the Brazilian driver improperly jumped in front of Tony coming out of the pits.   

Over in my photo location inside turn three I can't always hear everything on the Speedway public address or the IMS radio broadcast very well. So much of my race information comes from the video board facing the turn three grandstands on the outside of the corner. When I turned around and saw that Stewart's number 33 was leading the "Indianapolis 500" with little more than 60 laps to go I became ecstatic.    

This was it I thought! I'd been disappointed earlier when Al Unser Jr. was knocked out of the race on lap 18 by a spinning Sam Hornish. But a Tony Stewart win would make up for Little Al's misfortune many times over. I excitedly got on the cell phone to call my wife and Bill Correll seated in grandstand E in turn one. But all I got was a voice message so I screamed "Tony Stewart" about five times. Then I called my mom, who was listening to the race at home on the radio. When I told her I thought Tony was going to win, she cautioned me there were several laps to go in the "500." But I was in the groove and at that moment it appeared to me as if the race was falling into Stewart's lap.

When the green flag waved on lap 138 Stewart flew into turn one, in command of the "Indianapolis 500." Castroneves chased hard in second place. This was the number one moment of the 2001 racing season for me! 

While this was going on, the announcers on the radio broadcast were speculating that Tony would have to abandon his car, even if leading, before the race completed. Stewart's publicly stated first priority was to run the The Home Depot Pontiac at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte. The "Indianapolis 500" was running late due to most of the first twenty laps being run under caution and then a delay for rain showers after 107 laps. There might not be time to complete the race before Tony's scheduled departure for Charlotte. Chip Ganassi had Richie Hearn standing by to take over should Tony have to leave early.

But I would've bet anything there was no way Tony Stewart was going to step out of the Target car and turn it over to Hearn. Nor did I think there was any way Ganassi would let him do it.  

In front of a charging Castroneves, Stewart was working hard to stay in the lead but he was still holding Helio off. The skies were clouding up again and rain looked like it was closing in. If it rained hard enough two things could happen. They could call the race with the leader Tony Stewart declared the winner. But they could also stop the race, waiting for another break in the weather and Stewart might have to get on the plane waiting to take him to Charlotte. 

My heart was beating and the adrenaline was pumping. On lap 148, the yellow flag came out again. The officials wanted to inspect the track for oil. The clouds in the sky were getting darker by the minute. For one reason or another, which he has never explained, Ganassi called Stewart to the pits while he was leading. The action handed first place (and perhaps the race win) to Castroneves. Then it began sprinkling a few moments later and on lap 155 Brian Barnhart ordered the red flag.

During the six laps of yellow before the second stop for rain on lap 155, Stewart radioed his crew that he was suffering from cramps and numbness in his feet. As soon as the cars pulled into the pits, Tony limped away to a first aid center behind the pits for treatment. The media chased after Stewart and Ganassi ran with them to see what was going on, assuring every one there was enough time for Tony to finish the race.

The rain showers stopped and the sun came out and the race resumed. After the ill-timed pit stop on lap 149, Stewart's car 33 fell to fifth, behind Castroneves, de Ferran, Andretti and Robbie Buhl. Tony ran with the pack for a while. Buhl caught and passed both Andretti and de Ferran and was reeling in Castroneves. Stewart didn't make up much ground. After the final series of pit stops, car 33 began to fall behind and was eventually passed by two of his Target teammates Jimmy Vasser and Bruno Junqueira and finished in sixth place. Perhaps when he knew he wasn't going to win, Tony began to think about the 600 miles of racing still awaiting him in Charlotte and that took an edge off the final laps of the "500." 

Buhl's number 24 Purex G Force - Infiniti was the last best hope for Indy Racing League fans and Robbie gave it everything he had and was right behind Castroneves when he spun and clipped the wall coming off turn four on lap 166. I was somber watching Castroneves lead de Ferran in a one - two sweep for the Penske team and I wasn't much happier that Andretti, Vasser and Junqueira took the next three places. 

But Stewart's 13 laps in the "500" lead and the exhilaration I felt when I thought Tony might win made me feel like I was taking something with me as I left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It had been an interesting race with multiple personalities. Best of all, Tony Stewart showed he still knew how to race with the best of them and desperately wanted to win the "Indianapolis 500" and that made it a pretty good day.  

Tony Stewart's previous attempt at doing the Indianapolis - Charlotte "doubleheader" yielded mixed but unsatisfactory results on May 30, 1999. Stewart finished an uncompetitive four laps behind winner Kenny Brack in ninth place in the orange Tri Star Motorsports Home Depot Dallara - Oldsmobile in the "Indianapolis 500." Then Tony got on a jet and flew to Lowes Motor Speedway in time for the "Coca Cola 600." 

Stewart qualified The Home Depot Pontiac in 27th at Charlotte in May 1999. Tony charged through the pack and was leading easily at the 500 mile mark of the 600 mile race, looking set for his first Winston Cup win. But the day of racing began to wear on Stewart. Over the final stages of the Charlotte race Tony faded badly, limping home in fourth place. Stewart was carried away on a stretcher, dehydrated and exhausted after 1100 miles of  racing in a span of less than twelve hours. 

The next evening at the "Indianapolis 500" victory banquet, Stewart expressed doubts about trying to do another Memorial Day weekend marathon. I recall during Tony's remarks at the banquet, the TV cameras panned to Larry Curry. Curry winced in disappointment while his friend and partner in the Tri Star team more or less said his Indy car career was on hold for the moment. 

However  the allure of the "Indianapolis 500" was too much for Tony Stewart to resist when Chip Ganassi gave  him the chance to return last May. A nutrition and conditioning expert followed Stewart around in May 2001 as he traveled from Indianapolis to Charlotte, trying to make sure Tony would be ready for his "double duty." Stewart left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May 27 with six minutes to spare for his scheduled departure for Charlotte. Tony got on Joe Gibbs' jet, with his cute little blond Krista, wearing the red and yellow Target Ganassi driving suit. When he got off the plane near Lowes Motor Speedway, he was wearing the familiar white, black and orange The Home Depot uniform. 

Based on his problems in 1999, there were some who expressed doubt about Stewart's ability to race 1100 miles on May 27. C. Jemal Horton proclaimed in The Indianapolis Star if Tony raced at Charlotte he would be putting the other drivers in danger. Horton and the other "nay Sayers" didn't know Tony Stewart. Our boy pulled the whole thing off like a champ.

Stewart missed the NASCAR drivers meeting and had to start at the back of the field despite qualifying twelfth. When he was introduced at Lowes Motor Speedway the crowd booed Tony, presumably because he had run at Indianapolis. On the second lap of the 400 lap race, Stewart spun. But Tony kept The Home Depot car off the wall and proceeded undaunted by the spin. 

I just watched a video of the "Coca Cola 600." Stewart put on a beautiful display of race craft, making a gradual, steady run through the pack. By the end of the race Tony's number 20 was the fastest car on the track. With only a few laps to go, he passed Mark Martin for third place and was right behind second place Kevin Harvick at the finish. 

In typical Tony Stewart fashion, in a post race TV interview, he took aim at his detractors for doubting he could pull off the "Indianapolis - Charlotte double." It almost sounded as if Stewart was talking directly to C. Jemal Horton. Not only did he look fresh after getting out of The Home Depot Pontiac, Tony looked like he was ready for more racing. 

When I told my wife Stewart had finished third at Charlotte after she had seen him race in the "Indianapolis 500," she responded with "he's great." She's not the biggest racing fan in the world, reminding me constantly that I love racing more than her. But even she was impressed by what Tony had accomplished. 

The best news is that Tony Stewart will do the "Indianapolis - Charlotte double" again next May. It hasn't been announced officially but it's my understanding the deal with Chip Ganassi and Target has already been done for the 86th "Indianapolis 500."

To return to my intended theme for this piece ("Racer in the Foyt tradition"), in addition to his obvious racing talents, the other thing I like best about Tony Stewart is his versatility. In this age of specialization among racing drivers, Stewart is a rare commodity. Tony has to be a millionaire more than a few times over by now. But whenever he has the chance he'll jump into a USAC midget or Silver Crown car just like a certain driver from Houston did in an earlier era. The season finale USAC midget race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Thanksgiving weekend was rained out. Guess who had made a hurried exit from New Hampshire International Speedway to race at Las Vegas?  

Tony Stewart's Indy Racing League career statistics 

data courtesy of Indy Racing League

On occasion I receive e-mail regarding this website. On December 9, I received mail, titled "World O' TG's Lapdog" from someone who apparently didn't agree with opinions expressed in recent  offerings. Perhaps you might enjoy sharing the mail with me. I think it's pretty clever and I like the expressions the writer uses.