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IRL: Pep Boys Indy Racing League Weekly Notebook

12 November 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Cheever gearing up to read with children; Carlson family welcomes new son

INDIANAPOLIS - 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr., an avid reader and book collector, will help start National Childrens Book Week at a special reading event Nov. 15 at the Half Pint Library at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

"I was lucky enough to have the chance to be part of the dedication by Half Price Books of the Half Pint Library at Riley Hospital in May, and Im delighted to be invited back," Cheever said. "My family and I are avid readers. Taking part in these ongoing celebrations of reading and children is very special for me. They have given me the chance to meet some very, very special kids."

Half Price Books is presenting the event, at 1 p.m. in the Atrium of the hospital. Half Pint Libraries are childrens libraries built by Half Price Books to benefit pediatric hospitals and community centers across the nation. The company began the project to help showcase the importance that books and reading can play in the lives of children who are either chronically ill and/or in a long recovery process.

Last year, more than 80,000 books were donated to build libraries in Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin and Washington, and in Indianapolis at Riley Hospital for Children.

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New addition: Hubbard-Immke Racing driver Tyce Carlson and his wife, Chris, welcomed a baby boy into their family Nov. 10.

Cade James Carlson was born at 8:26 a.m. at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. Mother and child are doing fine.

Cade is the Carlsons second child. Their son Tyler is 3.

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Returning to roots: 1996-97 Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Tony Stewart will compete in the 59th Home Depot "Turkey Night Grand Prix race for MCI WorldCom Midget cars Nov. 25 at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

Stewart has won two races this season in his rookie year in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and is the prohibitive favorite to capture rookie of the year honors. He will drive one of the three cars entered by Steve Lewis, as series point leader Jason Leffler and Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car champion Dave Darland will be Stewarts teammates.

Stewarts last USAC appearance came in September 1998 at the 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis, where he finished 17th.

In 1995, Stewart won all three of USACs primary National championships -- Silver Bullet, Sprint Car and Midget Car, an unprecedented feat.

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On TV: The Pep Boys Indy Racing League Awards Ceremony, Nov. 13 in Indianapolis, will be televised at 1 p.m. (EST) Dec. 5 on ESPN2. The ceremony takes place at the Murat Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.

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Sign here, please: Four Indy Racing standouts will sign autographs Nov. 13 at the Brickyard Authentics store in the Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis.

Robby McGehee and Mark Dismore will sign from noon-1:30 p.m., 1999 League champion Greg Ray from noon-2 p.m. and Sarah Fisher from 1:30-3 p.m. The first 500 fans in line will receive a free 1:64-scale Indianapolis 500 event die-cast car. Special discount coupons and prize contests will be available at the store during the autograph session.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.