Tony Stewart's aggressive racing style and firey temper have made him one of the most popular drivers on the NASCAR circuit. Kidzworld has the goods on the driver known as the Rushville Rocket.
Tony Stewart Starts His Engine
Tony Stewart was born on May 20, 1971 in Rushville, Indiana. When he was seven he started racing when his dad started up a go-kart team. Stewart won his first racing championship a year later. In 1983, Stewart won an International Karting Federation Championship and was on the road to being a professional racecar driver.
Tony Stewart Sets A Racing Record
In 1996, Tony Stewart joined the newly formed Indy Racing League. In his first year he qualified for the Indianapolis 500 and set a record for the fastest lap by a rookie at the speedway. Stewart finished the season as the IRL's Rookie of the Year. A year later he joined NASCAR and won three races in his first year. In 1999, Tony Stewart made racing history by becoming the first driver to run the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Tony raced 500 miles and finished 9th at the Indy in the morning, before flying to Charlotte, North Carolina to race the Coca-Cola 600, where he finished 6th. Over the course of the day, Tony Stewart raced nearly 1100 miles - that's the same as driving from New York City to Orlando, Florida! Tony Stewart sealed his status as one of racing's best by winning NASCAR's Racing Title in 2002.
Tony Stewart's Temper
While Tony Stewart is well known for the heat he creates on the racetrack, he's also known for his hot temper and sometimes erratic driving. He's nearly come to blows with several other drivers including Jeff Gordon and Robby Gordon. He's also been fined for knocking a tape recorder out of a reporter's hand and trying to attack a NASCAR official.
Tony Stewart - Useless Facts
- Tony Stewart suffers from claustrophobia, which sometimes gives him problems while he's in the tight confines of a racecar.
- In high school, Tony Stewart played the trombone in his school band.
- Tony Stewart is a big fan of fast food. "I have nothing against people who eat a lot of health food and like to stay healthy but I like my pizza and burgers," says Stewart.
- One of Tony Stewart's nicknames is the Rushville Rocket.
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