Tony Stewart Biography from Nascar.com
Birthday: May 20, 1971
Hometown: Columbus, Ind.
Stewart
2009 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Won four races, his most since 2006 (five) ... Made the difficult transition to driver/owner without a drop in on-track performance. Won Stewart-Haas Racing's first event at the All- Star Race. ... Won points race at Pocono, Daytona (summer), Watkins Glen and Kansas. ... His win on June 7 was the first by a driver-owner since Ricky Rudd (Martinsville) on Sept. 27, 1998. ... A driver/owner had not led the points since Alan Kulwicki clinched the championship on Nov. 15, 1992, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. .. Win at Daytona on July 4 made him the first driver-owner to win multiple races in a season since Ricky Rudd (Dover and Indianapolis) in 1997. ... Led the standings for 13 weeks entering the final regular season race at Richmond, but entered the Chase seeded second to Mark Martin, who had four wins to Stewart's three at the time. ... Tied teammate Ryan Newman by completing 99.77 percent of laps run in 2009. (10,492 were run in 2009). ... Led the series with 370 points gained on road courses ... His 11-season win streak leads all active drivers.
2008 -- Finished ninth in series points. ... Posted one win, the 33rd of his career but his first at Talladega. ... Finished third in dramatic Daytona 500, losing lead on final lap to Ryan Newman -- his new teammate for 2009. ... Announced decision to leave Joe Gibbs Racing and become owner/driver for newly formed Stewart-Haas organization.
2007 -- Finished sixth in the series points. ... Earned three wins, 11 top-fives and 23 top-10s. ... Led 20 of 36 races for 980 laps. ... Won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard for the second time in his career.
2006 -- Finished 11th in series points. ... Posted five wins, three of which (Kansas, Atlanta and Texas) were races during the Chase. ... Had 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.
2005 -- Won second series championship. ... Ranked first in points heading into the Chase. ... Won five races (Sonoma, Daytona, New Hampshire, Indianapolis and Watkins Glen) over a seven-race stretch. ... His three poles were at Daytona (July), Watkins Glen and New Hampshire (September). ... The Daytona win was Stewart's first points-paying restrictor-plate victory. Won Gatorade Duel qualifying race at Daytona to earn fourth-place starting spot in the Daytona 500. ... Had seven top-10 finishes in the 10-race Chase, including three runner-up finishes.
2004 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Entered the inaugural Chase in fourth place. ... Finished second in the Daytona 500 after leading 98 of 200 laps. ... Scored the first of two wins at Chicago after leading 160 of 267 laps. ... Enjoyed a mid-season run that included two wins and five top-fives in six races. ... Was caught up in an accident and finished 39th at New Hampshire, Round 1 of the Chase. ... Was one of four drivers in the top 10 all season.
2003 -- Finished seventh in series points. ... On par to defend series title after four top-10s in first five races, but a string of four DNFs and inconsistent finishes -- including consecutive finishes of 41st (Fontana), 41st (Richmond) and 40th (Charlotte) -- dropped him to 20th by late May. ... Won two races, Pocono in June and Charlotte in October. ... Rebounded late in the year with six consecutive top-fives (Dover through Atlanta) bumping him from 11th to seventh in series points. ... Won second career Truck Series race at Richmond in September. ... Signed contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing in September through 2009.
2002 -- Won series championship. ... Gave team owner Joe Gibbs his second championship in three seasons (Bobby Labonte in 2000 was Gibbs' other champion). ... Championship season marked the fourth consecutive season in the final top 10 in points. ... Won three races -- Atlanta in March, Richmond in May and Watkins Glen in August. ... Bounced back after last-place finish (43rd) in season-opening Daytona 500. ... Took lead in points after Talladega race in October. ... March to the top began at New Hampshire in July with the first of nine consecutive top-15 finishes. ... Clinched championship in season finale at Homestead with 18th-place finish; finished 31 points ahead of Mark Martin in the final standings.
2001 -- Finished second in series points, behind four-time champion Jeff Gordon. ... Started season by winning Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a non-points event; that was his first victory in restrictor-plate racing. ... Won three series races. ... Won at Sonoma for first series road-course victory, with dramatic late-race pass of leader Robby Gordon. ... Also won at Richmond and at the Bristol night race. ... Completed 1,100 miles of racing on May 27, finishing sixth in the Indianapolis 500 and third in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
2000 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Won six races, including both Dover events. Also won at Michigan, New Hampshire, Martinsville and Homestead. ... Homestead win came on day that Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Bobby Labonte clinched series championship. ... Had streak of six consecutive top-10 finishes. ... Took two poles.
1999 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Rookie of the year in first season with Joe Gibbs Racing. ... Won three races during great second half of season. ... First win at Richmond on Sept. 11, in 25th series start. ... Also won back-to-back events at Phoenix and Homestead. ... First series rookie to win three races. ... Had two poles, plus an outside pole for the season-opening Daytona 500. ... Finished second in All-Star Race after winning qualifying race. ... Raced in Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on May 30, finishing ninth at Indy and fourth at Charlotte.
PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY
In 1998, ran 22 Busch Series races for Joe Gibbs Racing, getting two poles and five top-five finishes; also in '98 ran full Indy Racing League schedule. ... Ran five Busch Series races for Gibbs in 1997. ... In 1996 ran nine Busch Series races for Ranier/Walsh Racing. ... Won Indy Racing League championship in 1997. ... Earned 1996 IRL rookie of the year; also Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year in '96 after taking the pole and leading the first 44 laps. ... In 1995 swept championships in United States Auto Club (USAC) Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown competition, the first driver to do so. ... Won 1994 USAC Midget national championship. ... In 1991, USAC Sprint Car rookie of the year. ... Won 1987 World Karting Association national title. ... In 1983, won International Karting Foundation Grand National title.
NOTEWORTHY
Stewart's World of Outlaws sprint car team won the 2001 series title with driver Danny Lasoski. ... Stewart's favorite driver is four-time Indy 500 champion A.J. Foyt. ... Appeared in a music video for rock band 3 Doors Down. ... Donated $1 million to Kyle and Pattie Petty and their Victory Junction Gang Camp in November 2003. ... As a team owner, won the USAC Triple Crown with driver J.J. Yeley. Purchased Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, in November 2004. ... Named 2004 NASCAR USG Driver of the Year for charitable efforts earning a $100,000 award which he donated to the Victory Junction Gang Camp ... Named USA Weekend Magazine's 2004 Most Caring Athletes along with NASCAR driver Kyle Petty.
Ryan Newman Biography from Nascar.com
Birthday: Dec. 8, 1977
Hometown: South Bend, Ind.
Newman
2009 -- Finished ninth in series points. ... Regained his status as a weekly threat in his first season with first-year Stewart-Haas Racing. ... Had a best finish of second in the Coca-Cola 600. ... Gained his footing after an inconsistent start to the season by finishing third (Talladega), fourth (Richmond and Darlington), second (Charlotte), eighth (Dover) and fifth (Pocono) in the spring to stand fourth in series points. ... Started the Chase seeded 10th, improved to seventh twice, the latest after finishing seventh at Martinsville with four races left. ... Led the series with 10,468 laps completed. ... Tied team owner/teammate Tony Stewart by completing 99.77 percent of laps run in 2009. (10,492 were run in 2009).
2008 -- Finished 17th in series points. ... Opened season by winning the 50th Daytona 500. ... Also had eight top-10 finishes and won one pole (Phoenix spring race). ... Eighth consecutive year with a pole. ... Announced exit from Penske Racing to drive for new Stewart-Haas organization.
2007 -- Finished 13th in series points. ... Earned five poles. ... Finished second three times (Dover, Pocono, Martinsville). ... Pole at Atlanta ended a drought of 20 races without a pole, the longest of his career. ... Won three consecutive poles at Charlotte, Dover and Pocono. ... Average start of 13.8 was fifth-best in the series.
2006 -- Finished 18th in series points. ... Won the pole at Dover in June and at New Hampshire in July.
2005 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Fourth consecutive season leading series in poles (eight). ... Scored only win of season at New Hampshire, passing Tony Stewart on Lap 199 and holding the top spot by two cars-lengths. ... Qualified for the second Chase in 10th.
2004 -- Finished seventh in series points. ... Strong season slowed by nine DNFs. ... Led series with nine poles, including four consecutive from Charlotte through Phoenix. ... Held off Kasey Kahne at Michigan to score the first of two wins. ... Dominated in his second win at Dover in September leading 325 of 400 laps. ... Qualified for the inaugural Chase in 10th. ... Title hopes dashed by four DNFs in last 10 races.
2003 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Led the series in wins (eight), poles (11) and miles led (1,509.13) ... Had five DNFs in the first half of the season. ... Finished 38th or worse in six of the first 15 races. ... Scored first win at Texas, but followed with a four-race skid of three DNFs and 39th-place finish at Richmond in May, leaving him 27th in series points. ... With a victory at Chicago in July, kicked off a 13-race hot streak that included six wins ... His series-high 11 poles, including three consecutive at Atlanta, Phoenix and Rockingham, was the most since Cale Yarborough's 14 poles in 1980. ... Finished with a series-high 17 top-fives.
2002 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Topped Jimmie Johnson for rookie of the year honors in one of the most heated rookie battles in years. ... Set a rookie record with 22 top-10 finishes. ... Scored his first career win at New Hampshire in September in his 34th career start. ... Became just the second rookie to win the All-Star Race -- following Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2000. ... Led the series with six poles, setting a rookie record for most poles in a season, topping Davey Allison's five poles in 1987. ... Had 14 top-five finishes, second only to series champion Tony Stewart. ... Tied Stewart in races led (22).
2001 -- Finished 49th in series points. ... Scored first pole in third career Cup start, at Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, tying Mark Martin's record for earliest career pole. ... Competed in seven races with his best finish a second at Kansas. ... Also raced 15 times in Busch Series, winning one race
PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY
In 2000, made stock-car debut in ARCA race at Michigan, then won the next race he entered at Pocono. ... Also won ARCA races that year at Kentucky and Charlotte. ... In 1999, won USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series national championship with two wins and 12 top-10 finishes. ... Won seven times in midgets and once in sprint cars. ... Earned rookie of the year honors in Sprint Cars (1999), USAC Silver Crown (1996) and USAC National Midgets (1995). ... Was also the 1993 All-American Midget Series champion and rookie of the year.
NOTEWORTHY
Won the 50th anniversary Daytona 500 to open the 2008 season. ... Earned the nickname "Rocketman" after a series-high 11 poles in 2003. ... Is a member of the Quarter-Midget Hall of Fame. ... Started racing quarter midgets at age of 4-and-a-half. ... Graduated from Purdue University in August 2001 with a bachelor of science degree in vehicle structural engineering. ... Enjoys working on vintage cars and fishing.
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