Gibbs seemed to have a prized catch when he signed Stewart, a former Indy Racing League series champion, two years ago. But Stewart never set the Grand National series on fire like some expected. If he doesn't win rookie of the year this year -- and it figures to be a tough battle -- the whispers of "overrated" might start.
Career
Tony Stewart has started 199 USAC features in a career dating back to 1990, 31
in Silver Crown, 61 in sprints, 69 in midgets, 29 in Western States midgets, two in three-quarter midgets, 13 in midgets at the Indianapolis Speedrome and one special event. This year he adds NASCAR's Busch Series, Grand National Division, to his resume as he runs nearly a full season.
Stewart has several championships and titles to his credit, including: 1983
International Karting Foundation Grand National champion, 1987 World Karting
Association National Champion and 1989 Hoosier Auto Racing Fans First-Year
Driver Award in three-quarter midgets.
Named USAC Sprint Rookie of the Year in 1991, Stewart continued to add laurels
to his collection. He was named Rookie of the Year in the Indianapolis Speedrome midget seriesand got his first USAC victory Aug. 9 in midgets at the Speedrome.
His first USAC national midget victory came in 1993 in the Hut Hundred at Terre
Haute. Among 17 USAC national midget starts he finished fifth in points. His
best finish of second in Copper World Classic at Phoenix came from among nine
Silver Crown starts, he finished 13th in points.
Stewart's first USAC national midget championship came in 1994 with wins at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Lima (Ohio), North Vernon (Ind.), Bloomington and Winchester among 22 starts.
In 1995 his USAC national midget, sprint and Silver Crown championships, made him the first driver ever to win three titles in the same year.
In the 1998 Indy Racing League season, Stewart placed second at the Indy 200 after moving from seventh starting position to lead 27 laps and finish .866 of a second behind Buzz Calkins. He continues to drive sprint and midget cars finishing fourth in Silver Crown and 24th in the midget division in Copper World Classic at Phoenix one week after the Indy 200.
Sources: NASCAR Press Guides, Star and News staff reports.
