 Tony
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In 2003, Stewart began the Tony Stewart Foundation, with the goal of raising funds to be distributed primarily to organizations that help care for critically ill children, as well as lending support to families of race car drivers who have been injured in motorsports. Stewart made the major announcement this past Friday that the foundation’s second donation of $1 million to Victory Junction Gang Camp. Located in Randleman, N.C., the Victory Junction Gang Camp is dedicated to creating empowering experiences for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. The camp was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in memory of their son, Adam. Stewart now has cumulative unrestricted donations totaling over $2 million to the camp, of which he is a founding member along with the Petty’s, actor Paul Newman and the Bahre family, owners of New Hampshire International Speedway.
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This
year’s active driver honoree, Stewart, 35, of Columbus,
Ind., is a two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion (2002,
2005). He also won the 1997 IRL IndyCar Series Championship,
in addition to multiple United States Auto Club
championships as a driver and team owner. In 1998, Stewart
drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR Busch Series, preparing
him for his first full NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season with
the organization in 1999. He won three races in NASCAR’s top
series that year, and earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Three seasons later he won his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
Series title, following it with his second last year and
joining the ranks of only 14 drivers in series history to
have won more than one championship.
