Stewart Enters Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale

Tony Stewart, NASCAR’s rookie sensation in Winston Cup stock car racing, will return to his roots in open-wheel racing Thanksgiving night at Irwindale Speedway.

Stewart, the only driver in history to sweep the U.S. Auto Club’s three divisions--midgets, sprint cars and Silver Crown--will drive one of Steve Lewis’ midget cars in the 59th Turkey Night Grand Prix on the half-mile paved oval.

Last Sunday, he got his second Winston Cup victory, in the Checker/DuraLube 500 at Phoenix.

Although he has spent the year driving stock cars, Stewart has won his last six outdoor USAC midget races, his last coming at Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C., in 1998.

“I’m excited to come back,” said Stewart, who received permission from car owner Joe Gibbs to drive at Irwindale. The Winston Cup season ends Nov. 21 at Atlanta.

“It’s hard not to run as many different cars as I used to, but it’s a great opportunity to come out of ‘retirement.’ I’ve only seen Irwindale on television, but Bob East, who will be my chief mechanic, has been very successful there, so I’ll just show up and drive.”

Stewart will be a teammate of Jason Leffler, the defending USAC champion from Long Beach, and Dave Darland, USAC sprint car champion from Kokomo, Ind. All will drive Ford-powered machines owned by Lewis, with whom Stewart won the USAC championship in 1986.

It will be Stewart’s fourth Turkey Night appearance. He finished seventh in 1993, 21st in 1994 and seventh again in 1995, all at Bakersfield Speedway.