3-time NASCAR champion preps for dirt race at Plymouth

Published: June 14, 2013

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor

Tony Stewart isn't married and doesn't have kids, and most of the time that's OK.
"I have a German shepherd (dog) who doesn't care where we go," Stewart said. "He's just happy to go with us."
"I have the flexibility a lot of these other drivers don't. But even if they had the time, I'm not sure they'd want to go run 70 dirt races on top of a 38-race Cup schedule. It's just what I enjoy."
Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, will add to his hectic schedule this weekend as he will compete with the Bumper-to-Bumper IRA Sprint Car Series on Saturday at the Plymouth Dirt Track at Sheboygan County Fairgrounds in Plymouth.
Stewart will compete in the event while preparing for the Quicken Loans 400 in Brooklyn, Mich.
"I like my downtime, but I like being busy on the weekends," he said. "I enjoy being able to go run dirt races and Cup races. Being busy with all of that keeps me sharp."
Stewart will go into the race at Michigan on a bit of a hot streak. He has three straight top-10 finishes, including a victory June 2 at Dover. This run has moved Stewart up to 13th in the points standings from 21st.
Last year, Stewart finished ninth in the points after winning his third championship in 2011. Also in 2012, he ran the most dirt car races he's run in his career (46) since joining NASCAR.
"I probably had the most fun years of my life, even though it wasn't my best year in cup," Stewart said.
Stewart won nine dirt races in his sprint car.
"It's a balancing act for me," he added. "That's what I'm into. Other people are into golf, but going racing on Friday night and Saturday night and during the week is my golf.
"Until I can't do it anymore, this is what I want to do."
Stewart will compete in a dirt track special July 3 in South Dakota.
In addition to being an avid dirt racer, Stewart also owns a World of Outlaws sprint car team. Steve Kinser, one of the greatest dirt track racers in history with more than 570 career victories, drives for Stewart. Donny Schatz, who's won 124 races with the World of Outlaws, also drives for Stewart.
Stewart likes to race his dirt car to help fine-tune what he may be struggling with in NASCAR.
"I think it helps on restarts, for sure," he said. "I'm definitely more aggressive on the restarts.
"In sprint car racing, you have to get a lot done at the start and on restarts, and I think that part has really been a positive and really been a help in making me more aggressive."
And being aggressive was how he developed his nickname, "Smoke."
Stewart will have his hands full with the IRA drivers.
Bill Balog is coming off his fifth victory in seven races, including fourth in a row, Saturday at Beaver Dam Raceway. Mike Kertscher will be another strong contender as he's won the other two races in the IRA season and that's not a surprise.
Lately, the series has been dominated by Balog and Kertscher.
The past 16 races, dating back to last season, have been won either by Balog (12) or Kertscher (four). The last driver in the series to win a race, not named Balog or Kertscher, was Paul May on Aug. 18 at Wilmot Speedway.
"It's like hitting a reset button for me," Stewart said about why he continues to race during his spare time. "It's a lot of effort, a lot of money and a lot of time involved to do all this, but it's worth it.
"It's worthwhile because it's something not everybody can do."
The show will also include the 360 Sprints. Between the two open-wheeled divisions nearly 60 sprint cars should be on hand for the program.
Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. and main gates open at 4:30 p.m. Racing starts at 7 p.m.
General admission is $20 for adults, with a youth ticket being sold for $5 to fans age 6 through 12. Children age 5 and younger are free with a paid adult.