One of Stewart's two victories in 2004 came at Watkins Glen. Credit: Autostock

In Review: Tony Stewart

Any on-track disappointment was erased by off-track generousity

On the racetrack, 2004 was a rather quiet year for former Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. But somehow that's irrelevant, considering that off the track his compassion for children continues to resound louder and louder with each passing year.

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Stewart tallied a pair of victories -- at Chicagoland and Watkins Glen -- equaling his 2003 output. But 10 top-five finishes mark the lowest total of his six-year career. All said, he finished sixth in the Nextel Cup Series standings, matching his sophomore effort and bettering last year's finish by one spot.

He was a threat to win the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway before a controversial black-flag penalty and a lack of fuel thwarted one his best runs of the second half.

It was a microcosm of the entire year, Stewart said.

"The fuel pressure gauge went to zero and then it never came back up again," said Stewart in reference to the race's last restart in overtime on Lap 269.

"Just riding around out there on the banking while under caution must've gotten just enough air in the fuel line to make it sputter there at the restart. I'm lucky I didn't get run over. That's just kind of the way our season's been."

After twice ranking as high as second in the championship point standings -- once following the season-opening Daytona 500 and again after races three and four at Las Vegas and Atlanta, respectively -- Stewart was one of 10 drivers to make the cut in the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup.

But as soon as the Chase began, it became an uphill climb for Stewart. A crash not of his own doing at New Hampshire -- the first of the 10 races in the playoff-style format -- resulted in a point deficit Stewart was never able to overcome.

Despite posting five top-10 finishes in the final nine races, Stewart finished sixth in points.

However disappointing, the sixth-place finish continued Stewart's streak of top-10 point finishes. He's never finished worse than seventh.

Tony Stewart led 46 laps at Watkins Glen, including the final 15. Credit: Autostock

But even if Stewart had won the championship, it would still pale in comparison with what he did to better the lives of the less fortunate during 2004.

His financial generosity to Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp can be gauged in dollars -- millions, Stewart is the top individual fundraiser for the camp -- but its impact on children is immeasurable.

A prime example came two weeks ago during Champion's Week in New York, when Stewart won $85,000 for the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award and an addition $50,000 for the USG Driver of the Year Award, which allocates $50,000 to the winner and $50,000 to the charity of the winner's choice.

Stewart immediately announced he would donate his portion of the award to Victory Junction.

Already the owner of World of Outlaws and USAC racing teams, Stewart added to his assets by purchasing Eldora Speedway from legendary owner Earl Baltes.

Known as "Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954," thanks in large part to Baltes' vision and hands-on management, Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with an estimated seating capacity of nearly 20,000 that features some of the most prominent racing divisions in the country.

"Eldora was a premiere racing facility long before I started racing there in 1991, and it's our goal to build on the tradition Earl and his wife Berneice started back in 1954," Stewart said.

"Eldora has been extremely successful for both its competitors and its fans. We have no intention of changing the look and feel of the racetrack. We want to maintain the Eldora experience fans have grown to love and appreciate over the years."

This year was also one of heartache for Stewart. His helicopter pilot, Scott Lathram, was aboard the Hendrick Motorsports plane that crashed near Martinsville, Va., on Oct. 24.

"Scott Lathram was a great friend, a respected employee and one of the best helicopter pilots in the country," Stewart said in a statement. "Our trust and faith in him never wavered, because his commitment to service and safety was unmatched.

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"He was also one of the most loyal people I've ever met, not just to me and my employees, but to his country. Scott was prepared to go back to Iraq, as his army reserve unit had been called up to active duty.

"I'll never forget him telling me that he had to return to Iraq. He was only about six months into his job here with me, and he was worried about making sure that I was all set before he had to go.

"I told him not to worry about me, that the most important thing for him was to look out for his wife and kids. But it just showed me how much Scott cared about everyone around him, especially when his immediate future meant participating in something that most of us will only see on television.

"And what I'll remember the most about Scott and probably miss the most was his sense of humor. No matter how bad a day you were having, a quick one-liner from Scott and the next thing you knew you were laughing. He turned bad days into good days and good days into great days."

It's safe to say the children attending Victory Junction would say the same about Stewart.