© Mobil 1
It's Tony Stewart's birthday today. The IndyCar and NASCAR driver turns 46 today. And while he never actually competed in a Grand Prix he did get to try out a few laps in a Formula 1 car in June 2011.
That was courtesy of a car swap publicity deal organised by Mobil 1. Stewart got to drive Lewis Hamilton's Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 around Watkins Glen International. Hamilton in turn got to try out Stewart's NASCAR Sprint Cup car. Maybe he had an eye for a possible post-F1 career change?
As well as being a three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Stewart is also co-owner of the Stewart-Haas Racing team along with Gene Haas, boss of Haas F1 Team. Stewart's now retired from racing, so maybe he'll start showing up to support Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen at Grand Prix events.
Before his NASCAR career, Stewart took part in US open wheel racing. He was the 1996-7 IndyCar Series champion, and he also took part in five Indianapolis 500 races between 1996 and 2001. He started the race from pole in 1996, but his best finish was fifth in 1997.
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