CUP: Stewart Lands Down Under For Holiday Break

Sprint Cup

CUP: Stewart Lands Down Under For Holiday Break

Tony Stewart is spending the next two weeks in Australia...

Tom Jensen | Posted December 22, 2009 Charlotte, NC

NASCAR Sprint Car Driver Tony Stewart raced sprint cars in Austrialia duirng the off-season. (Photo: BAM Media, Paul Carruthers)

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart arrived in Sydney, Australia Dec. 22 to prepare for four nights of sprint-car racing over two weeks at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway.   

Stewart, a former USAC triple crown winner, said he’s keenly anticipating spending some time behind the wheel of an 800-horsepower sprint car after a hectic 2009 NASCAR season.

“I’m really looking for some time off after a really busy year,” said Stewart, who finished sixth in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings. “I really didn’t have an off-season last year as we spent so much time putting everything together for my first year as a driver/owner with Stewart-Haas Racing. This trip will be the first time in almost two years that I’ve been able to get away and not have to worry about a schedule. I’m really looking forward to enjoying some relaxation, mixed in with a bit of racing.”

The 38-year-old Stewart said he hopes to work a little fun into his Australian adventure as well. “Apart from the racing I really don’t have any plans. I’m just going to take everything as it comes,” he said. “My life seems to be scheduled in five-minute increments, so whatever I end up seeing is going to be more spur-of-the-moment than anything.”   

Some drivers spend their vacations as far away from racing as humanly possible, but not Stewart, who has driven everything from sprint cars and Midgets to IndyCars, Grand Am sports cars and, of course, stock cars and even the occasional dirt or asphalt late model.

“Racing is what I do, and it’s also what I love. Dirt-track racing, especially with sprint cars and late models, is fun,” said Stewart.  “So, yeah, it’s still racing, but it’s the kind of racing I love to do just for fun. I’m also looking forward to hanging out with a lot of my friends from the sprint-car side and having the opportunity to race with them.”   

Stewart raced at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway during the formative years of his career and has some fond memories of the venue.   

“God, it’s been a while … but I remember it being a good, racy track. You could move around and make things happen if the car was handling,” said Stewart. “Obviously, the local fans are pretty passionate about sprint car racing, so it creates an exciting venue to race at.”

Stewart will join four-time World of Outlaws Champion Donny Schatz and All Star Series Champion Tim Shaffer over the Christmas/New Year period.

The American trio will take to the track for the first time Dec. 26 for the Valvoline Australian Sprintcar Grand Prix and then run Dec. 29 in the Hogs Breath Sprintcar International.

On Jan. 2-3 Stewart, Schatz and Shaffer will be joined by fellow American Jason Johnson and Australia’s best including Brooke Tatnell, Max Dumesny, Robbie Farr, Ryan Farrell and Kerry Madsen to battle for the $50,000-to-win Scott Darley race presented by Coca Cola.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED, and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com! Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to
  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

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