NASCAR Talk

Name: Tony Stewart
Car #: 20
Series: Sprint Cup
Sponsor : The Home Depot
Manufacturer : Chevrolet (Toyota in 2008)
Car Owner : Joe Gibbs
Team : Joe Gibbs Racing
Crew Chief : Greg Zipadelli
Birthday: May 20, 1971
Hometown: Columbus, IN
Personal: Single

Where there’s Smoke, there’s fire! Could there be a better nickname for one of NASCAR’s most controversial drivers? He may sometimes speak before he thinks, but he can back it up on the track most of the time.

Way back in 1978, a 7 year old Tony Stewart began racing go karts and before long, he was winning karting national championships in 1983 and 1987. Soon after, he began racing three quarter midgets and then moved up to USAC racing in 1994. The following year, Tony took home the circuit’s Triple Crown with National Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown titles in 1995.

His next stop on the racing ladder was the Indy Racing League where he became the Rookie of the Year in 1996. Tony’s entrance into NASCAR came in the Busch Series in 1999 when he was asked to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, including some Cup series races. In 2000, he made the leap to NASCAR’s top series and won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award. It only took him two more seasons before he won the Cup Championship in 2002. He followed that up with yet another championship in 2005 when he also won the Brickyard.

In his spare time, Tony hosts a Sirius Satellite Radio show all about racing.

Tony Stewart Websites:
Joe Gibbs Racing
Tony Stewart Official Site
NASCAR.com Driver Page

If you know a great Tony Stewart Website that should be added to the list, please leave a comment below!

NASCAR, NASCAR Driver Bios, Tony Stewart Bio

Name: Kyle Busch
Car #: 5
Series: Sprint Cup
Sponsor : Kellogg’s/CARQUEST
Manufacturer : Chevrolet
Car Owner : Rick Hendrick
Team : Hendrick Motorsports
Crew Chief : Alan Gustafson
Date of Birth: 5/2/1985
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Current Residence: Mooresville, NC
Personal: Single

Kyle began his love of racing at age 6 as he would just ride through the neighborhood in a go kart. Even though he couldn’t reach the pedals, his father would hit the throttle for him as he steered around the block. By the time he was 10, Kyle became his brother Kurt’s crew chief and lead mechanic for his Dwarf Car team.

As soon as he turned 13, Kyle’s own racing career began. Between 1999 and 2001, he racked up more than 65 wins in Legends cars. He also made his Craftsman Truck Series debut in 2001, but NASCAR began strictly enforcing its age limit on the track and sidelined the 16 year old until his 18th birthday. He spent his waiting time racing in the ASA series and was signed to Hendrick Motorsports, where he drove an ARCA car until he was old enough.

Before long he was driving in the Busch Series and breaking 5 records in his first year. He also ran a few Nextel Cup races and was chosen to take over the retiring Terry Labonte’s ride in 2005. In his first full season of the Nextel Cup series, Kyle won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award, becoming the youngest driver in history to do so.

Kyle ended up finishing fifth in the Nextel Cup point standings for 2007 in his last year with Hendrick Motorsports. Busch announced earlier in the year he would be moving over to drive the #18 M&Ms Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008.

Kyle Busch Websites:
Hendrick Motorsports
Joe Gibbs Racing
Kyle Busch Official Site
NASCAR.com Driver Page

If you know a great Kyle Busch Website that should be added to the list, please leave a comment below!