2-Time NASCAR Champ Back After 8 Year Absence
DuQuoin, IL (September 1, 2011)-Tony Stewart likes the race track at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds so much that he took time out of a busy NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule to file an entry today for the 18th Bill Oldani Memorial UMP Modified race on Labor Day at the “Magic Mile”. Barring unforeseen circumstances during the 500-mile event at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday night (weather, accident, etc) the two time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion will make the flight to southern Illinois and be on the grounds for UMP Modified practice Monday morning.
Tony’s task of winning the 18th Oldani Memorial will be tough enough with fellow NASCAR driver Ken Schrader in the field. Schrader won the last two Indyana Classic events at the Indiana State Fairgrounds going away and his potent UMP Modified will be one of the cars Stewart will have to pass to take the 20-mile Labor Day race. Schrader has plenty of experience running and winning at DuQuoin. His first USAC stock car start came at DuQuoin in September of 1979 and Schrader finally found victory lane in an ARCA machine and a crate late model in 2006, then repeated the ARCA victory in 2007.
Making Stewarts Labor Day at DuQuoin even more interesting is the possibility that he will have to start near the rear of the 20-mile main event and work his way to the front. Stewart will be unable to run the qualifying heat races on Sunday night so it is possible he will have to start near the back of the starting field.
DuQuoin has been kind to the 1997 Indy Racing champ over the years. He ran six USAC Silver Crown races between 1992 and 1997 with five top six finishes including a sixth in 1995 which helped him become USAC’’s first Triple Crown champion. Stewart completed 590 of a possible 600 laps in the dirt cars, his lone exit was news worthy as he barrel rolled in turn three in 1993 and walked away uninjured.
Tony returned to DuQuoin in 2001, this time in ARCA stock car competition and he set a standard for stock car pilots at DuQuoin that has not been bettered since the stock cars came to the “Magic Mile” in 1950. In three starts from 2001-2003, Stewart won three pole positions, set two new one lap track records, won the 2003 Southern Illinois 100 and led 137 laps while never finishing lower than second! No other stock car driver in DuQuoin history had such a record in their first three events. Stewart returned as an owner in 2007 and his car finished third with 20 year old Josh Richards at the wheel!
Tony will have to deal with a strong UMP Modified field on Labor Day that should include former winners Jeff Parks of Marion, Illinois and Brian Shaw of Robinson, Illinois as wellas defending winner Shelby Miles of Bloomington, Indiana.
The 20-mile UMP Modified event is slated for around noon prior to the ARCA Southern Illinois 100 on Labor Day at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.