Three-time NASCAR champion will become sole owner of organization
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has entered into an agreement to purchase the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series.
The announcement, made Wednesday, stated that Stewart has agreed to terms with series owner Guy Webb to become the sole owner of the organization.
“My passion for sprint car racing is well known,” Stewart said in a release, “and the All Star Circuit of Champions … series has been a pillar of the sport for a long time.
“Racing is my business and I look forward to building the series’ already impressive legacy by taking it to a new level of success and sustainability.”
Stewart, co-owner of the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organization, has continued to compete in sprint cars throughout his NASCAR career. Incidents in the past two seasons, however, have left many wondering if his extracurricular racing activities should be either curtailed or stopped entirely.
In 2013, Stewart suffered a broken right leg in an accident while competing at a sprint car race in Iowa. The injury forced Stewart to miss the final 15 races of the ’13 NASCAR season.
Last August, Stewart was again competing in a sprint car race when his entry struck and killed a fellow driver, Kevin Ward Jr. Stewart sat out three NASCAR races while dealing with the emotional and legal turmoil. Although he was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident, Stewart said the fatality was something that would stay with him “forever.”
Dirt track racing makes up a large part of Stewart’s business endeavors, and includes ownership of Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio as well as Tony Stewart Racing, a successful World of Outlaws race team.
Webb said he had put his “heart and soul” into the All Star Circuit, “and it gives me great peace of mind to hand over the reins … to Tony Stewart.
“Tony is dirt track racing’s biggest advocate, and he’s always working in the best interest of sprint car racing.”
The series, which is not tied to one specific sanctioning organization, has a 50-race schedule in store for the 2015 season. The first event of the new year is scheduled for Feb. 5-7 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida.