Stewart, Kenseth relish chance to race for 'fun'
OREGON-If you just happened to have dropped by the Tuesday afternoon Madison International Speedway press conference before the All-Star Challenge, you would have no idea that the two men answering questions were part of multi-million dollar race teams at the top level of their sport.
Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart, two of the best drivers in the world of motorsports, resembled local stock car drivers ready for a short-track rumble.
Tony Stewart told reporters that racing during the week at local tracks is essential to his overall racing routine. He said he made sure there were no clauses in his Joe Gibbs Racing Nextel Cup contracts that would prevent him from racing whatever and whenever he wants when not in the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet.
"I made sure I could go out and race," Tony Stewart said. "There's no way I could survive if all I had to do was run a Cup car.
"Last week I ran a winged sprint car on Wednesday night, and seven days later I'm running a late model," he said. "I have to do this kind of stuff to have a release and get away and have fun again."
Tony Stewart's attitude has not changed since he broke into NASCAR. He continues to drive some of the most dangerous race cars on the some of the most dangerous tracks, including Eldora in Rossburg, Ohio, a high-banked, half-mile dirt track he owns.
Tony Stewart couldn't say enough about the benefits of "getting away from it all" at a Wisconsin short track.
"I love to go racing," he said. "I love to show up on a week night and drive a race car and not have to worry about all the stress that we have to deal with on the weekend. It's nice to be able to go to a track and not worry about points, fines, penalties, templates and all that stuff."
Matt Kenseth, a Cambridge native, said he's glad to come back and race with some of the local drivers, but he didn't come to MIS where he is a former track champ for a visit. He said he was there to win a race.
"Whenever we come to race these things, you always come to win, and you always want to drive a good car and do a lot," Matt Kenseth said. "If I wasn't going to have a good car and feel like I have at least an opportunity, or the right stuff to win, you wouldn't do it.
"I don't want to go out and race and run in the back," he said. "You're always going to put a lot of effort into winning these races, no matter if it's a Cup race on Sunday or racing here on a Tuesday night. You always put forth your best effort."
Tony Stewart appeared in Tuesday's race promoted by Matt Kenseth's father, Roy, after Matt Kenseth drove a dirt late model at Eldora earlier this month.
"Those dirt late models have so much power, and the track changes so much, it's really interesting. And honestly, I really learn a lot when I run there," Matt Kenseth said.
The press pool seemed to be as interested in Matt Kenseth's 14-year-old son, Ross, as it was in Matt Kenseth deflected questions about his son's "career" in racing.
"I don't know if you can call it a career when you're 14 years old," Matt Kenseth said. "Right now, he really likes to race, but he's 14 years old, so it's not about trying to build a career. It's about having fun right now. That's what you're supposed to do when you're a kid."
Ross and Tony Stewart's father, Nelson, were entered in the Legend cars support race. Tony Stewart said it was "scary" watching his dad, who is 69 years old, race.
"It's not scary to have him here, but it's scary to have him race," Tony Stewart said. "I hope I'm that energetic when I get to that age.
"I'm proud to see him on the race track, but it makes me nervous," Tony Stewart said. "He drives like a dart with one side of the feathers pulled off."
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