Champion racecar driver Tony Stewart will make his presence known when competing in his hometown Tuesday night in a three-quarter midget car at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Stewart will be racing the Peyton’s Angels Indiana Chapter of The Cure Starts Now car, on loan from friend and driver Jason Setser.
Having the three-time NASCAR champion in a car created to promote finding a cure for brain cancer is a huge boost for the chapter and supporters in the medical community trying to find a cure, said Lynn Whittington, founder of the Peyton’s Angels chapter, which sponsors Setser’s car.
She founded the chapter in memory of her son, Peyton Whittington, who died June 4, 2013, at age 5 from a brain cancer called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable tentacle-like tumor that encased his brain stem. Since then, the chapter has raised millions for research to find a cure, funded through an annual Carnival for the Cure at Ceraland.
The entire Whittington family is planning on being at tonight’s race at the fairgrounds, she said.
While it’s unclear how many logos will adorn Stewart’s car tonight, at least one in particular will be visible to fans, regular driver Setser said.
“I told Tony that ‘The Cure Starts Now’ logo stays on,” Setser said. “That’s why we built the car. We wanted to raise some money, and we wanted to have some fun.”
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
