COLUMBUS, Ind. — The local venue where Tony Stewart began racing when he was 8 years old is about to be named after him.
The track at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds will be renamed “Tony Stewart Speedway” in a dedication ceremony at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Hall-of-Famer is expected to compete in his All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets event that evening.
“Tony has been coming here the last several years and raced, and we thought it would be nice to rename the track after him for all he’s done for us and the community,” Bartholomew County Fair Board President Rick Trimpe said. “So we brought it before the fair board, and it was unanimous to dedicate the track after Tony.”
Stewart, who turned 50 last month, has donated countless time, money and equipment to help maintain and improve the track over the years.
Since 2013, he has returned to his hometown to compete in the annual TQ Midget race at the fair every year until last year, when the fair was canceled. He did, however, compete in two Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets races last fall at the fairgrounds.
The naming dedication ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the pagoda between the grandstands and midway. Stewart’s name will be covered up on the pagoda until it is unveiled during the ceremony.
For the complete story, see Saturday’s Republic.
