Next month Tony Stewart will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. It’s a richly deserved honor — one that will likely eventually be followed by his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Stewart proved that he could excel in whatever type of racecar he drove ever since he was a little boy racing go-karts. He won on the dirt tracks in sprint cars, even claiming the USAC Triple Crown. He won an Indy Racing League championship, and he won three NASCAR Cup championships. The Hoosier native also won the Brickyard 400 twice at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
His rich motorsports career continues as a NASCAR co-owner, and owner of tracks, teams and series in racing’s minor leagues. It’s in his blood, and always has been. That’s why he still races on the dirt tracks around the country most weeks of the year.
What’s notable is that despite his national fame, he hasn’t lost touch with his hometown. He maintains a home in Columbus, visits when he can and has come back multiple times to race at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds during the fair in the summer.
His induction March 12 into the Motorsports Hall of Fame will be a deserved cherry on top of a pretty remarkable racing career.
