NASCAR Hall of Fame deserved honor for Stewart

To say Tony Stewart has had a good year would be a bit of an understatement.

On May 22, the Columbus resident was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on his first attempt, with a healthy 88% support from voters. On March 12, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

The latest honor serves as a crowning achievement to his stock car racing career.

To mention Stewart’s name in the context of NASCAR is to refer to one of the sport’s very best. He won three Cup Series championships in an 18-year career — 2002, 2005 and 2011. You don’t need all 10 fingers to count the number of drivers in the sport’s past 70 seasons to win three or more championships.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

The last championship was as an owner/driver with Stewart-Haas Racing — a feat that had not been accomplished since 1992.

He also won 49 Cup races, ranking 14th all time, including two Brickyard 400 titles (2005, 2007) at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a venue Stewart has revered since childhood.

Stewart’s selection to the NASCAR Hall of Fame also adds to the shine of a career of a well-rounded driver who won championships at every level of racing. The 48-year-old’s resume includes championships in go-karts, on the dirt tracks — including the USAC Triple Crown (sprints, midgets, sprint cars) in 1995 — and the 1997 IndyCar Series crown.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame selection (induction for the Class of 2020 is Jan. 31) is a tremendous and well-deserved honor for a racer known for his skill, fiery competitiveness and desire to win.

And it’s an honor in which Columbus residents can take pride for one of their own.

Send comments to [email protected].