NASCAR - Tony Stewart Prepares for Opening Round of WoO Sprint Series

INDIANAPOLIS (June 16, 2008) – Fans of NASCAR and dirt track racing will have an opportunity to see the best of both worlds collide this week as two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will square off against some of the best winged Sprint car drivers in the country in the Ollie’s 360 Challenge. Stewart will return to the seat of his No. 20 Old Spice Sprint car on Tuesday against an impressive list of competition that includes fellow NASCAR regulars Kasey Kahne, Dave Blaney, as well as the driver of Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) own Armor All-sponsored Sprinter, two-time defending Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series champion Donny Schatz.

“Whenever I can race my dirt Sprint car or Late Model, I’m excited about it,” said Stewart. “Open-wheel racing is a form of relaxation for me and I am really looking forward to running my winged 360 Sprint car at least three times this season. I’m also proud to be part of the Ollie’s 360 Challenge from a track owner’s standpoint. These events are marquee races and I’m pleased that Eldora Speedway will host a race in July. We’re very proud to be able to offer our fans a variety of quality racing events and I’m sure this will be one of our biggest races of the season.”

Tuesday’s event, at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, will see Stewart and the No. 20 Old Spice/Chevy/Eagle team take to the 3/8-mile oval for the first of three races in the Ollie’s 360 Challenge series. Each of the three A-main events will pay $6,000 to the race winner with a $50,000 bonus up for grabs to the driver who can win two of the three features. Owned and operated by the Blaney family and a group of local partners, Sharon Speedway is one of the country’s leading short tracks and hosts several high-profile 410 Sprint car events each season.

Stewart will not only face some of the toughest 360 winged Sprint car drivers in the country this week, he’ll also go head-to-head with his own sprint car ace, Schatz, for the first time. In his last appearance at Sharon Speedway on June 1, 2007, Schatz grabbed a fifth-place finish in WoO Sprint Series competition. Tuesday’s race will be his first appearance at the facility in a 360 Sprint car.

“I’m really looking forward to competing in at least two of the three Ollie’s 360 Challenge events,” Schatz said. “I’ve not raced a 360 for about 10 years but it’s going to be a lot of fun to do so against Tony (Stewart, team owner) Kasey Kahne, Dave Blaney and the many other great drivers who will compete in these three events. We’re going to play the third race date by ear. I plan to really watch the weather for the World of Outlaws race that we have scheduled in Billings, Mont., that day. If it rains there, we’ll do everything we can to try to get back to Williams Grove for the final night.

“I have a lot of confidence in the car we’re taking to Sharon this week. When you’ve got a group of guys like the Armor All team building your cars, you really don’t have any worries when it comes to your equipment. They’re one of the best teams in the business and I know they’ll have a great car for me again this week. It’s going to be a lot of fun to be able to compete in these events and possibly have a chance to win the $50,000 bonus.”

Gates will open at Sharon Speedway at 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday for the Ollie’s 360 Challenge opener. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:20 p.m., with racing set for 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the track at 330-772-1186 or by visiting www.sharonspeedway.com.

The second round of the Ollie’s 360 Challenge will take place July 8 at Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The high-banked, half-mile oval has a storied history that spans more than 50 years and is a staple in the Sprint car universe. The third and final round of the Ollie’s 360 Challenge is set for Aug. 19 and will be hosted by Kahne and wrap up at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa.