As the owner of Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, Tony Stewart has long had an important responsibility of promoting and managing one of dirt track racing's most historic speedways. And Saturday night in SRX, Stewart and another accomplished dirt racer showed off just what Eldora is all about.
Tony Stewart prevailed in a thrilling battle for the win across the final laps, holding off local all-star Kody Swanson to win his second race of the Camping World SRX Series season and sweep the series' slate of dirt races.
Stewart took the lead late in the main even after working in the high side of the racetrack, using that line to pass Swanson for the final time. Swanson began to match Stewart's line and tried to pull off a slidejob on Stewart, but wasn't able to clear the three-time Cup Champion.
"Kody found the bottom. I couldn't roll the bottom as good as he could. I was real dependent on being up on the top," Stewart said in Victory Lane. "I just think that that's what Eldora does. The complexion of the track changes during the race. I thought the top was good at the beginning of the Main, and then Kody got just crushing everybody on the bottom and got rolling through there.
"But the good thing was when he went by everybody else, they all followed him down there like they were in a parade and left the top open. And the longer we went, I finally got the momentum going on the top and got back by."
Both Stewart and Swanson had to battle back from adversity in order to race each other for the win. Stewart had been set to start the feature from the pole, but he was forced to start at the rear of the field after accidentally hitting the kill switch on his car and having to come down pit road on pace laps. Swanson, meanwhile, was in a backup car after being collected in a five-car pileup in the second heat.
Besides the top two, one of the stars of the night was Paul Tracy, who led a chunk of laps while also showing off his classic aggressive streak: Tracy traded paint with Helio Castroneves fighting for the lead, and then caused a late-race crash that tore the front end off of Bobby Labonte's car. Labonte was unhappy with Tracy afterwards, one of two notable driver feuds during the night. In addition to Tracy and Labonte's dustup, Tony Kanaan and Ernie Francis Jr. also took turns running into each other.
With the dirt races for the Superstar Racing Experience now in the books, the SRX Series moves back onto asphalt next weekend with a visit to the legendary Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Kody Swanson tries to wind it up and put a slidejob on Tony Stewart, but he can't get there. Stewart holds on to win in Eldora.
1. Stewart
2. Swanson
3. Castroneves
4. Andretti
5. Tracy
6. Speed
7. Kanaan
8. Francis Jr.
9. Ribbs
10. Waltrip
11. Labonte
12. Elliott
Kody Swanson is now matching Tony Stewart's line. Two to go.
Tony Stewart uses the high line to take the lead from Kody Swanson. Three laps to go.
Green flag back in the air. Kody Swanson gets a big jump on Tony Stewart to move to the race lead.
Running order with five laps to go:
1. Stewart
2. Swanson
3. Labonte
4. Tracy
5. Andretti
6. Speed
Bill Elliott is out of his car. Another DNF for Elliott, who had fuel pressure issues in both races prior to tonight.
Crash in Turns 1 & 2 with five laps to go. Bobby Labonte was spun by Paul Tracy and got hit by both Marco Andretti and Bill Elliott, ripping the front end off his car and scattering debris across the racetrack.
Tony Stewart has cleared Kody Swanson and takes the race lead as he seeks back-to-back wins on dirt. Swanson will try and fight back with 5 to go.
Green flag with Kody Swanson and Tony Stewart on the front row. 8 laps to settle it.
Caution is out with 8 laps to go. From the sound of it, there was debris on the racetrack - Which is especially hazardous given that SRX cars are not running windshields on dirt.
10 laps to go in the feature. Kody Swanson still leads, but Tony Stewart has made his way to second and has clearly discovered something near the cushion.
Kody Swanson re-takes the lead from Paul Tracy. Tony Stewart has cleared a three-wide battle for third, and is trying to make up time on the high line.
Green flag is back out with 16 laps to go. Paul Tracy is able to take the lead from Kody Swanson as Tony Stewart makes the high line work to go from sixth to third.
Caution is out on Lap 34. Kody Swanson had opened up his lead to 1.3 seconds over Paul Tracy, who was facing a strong challenge from Scott Speed for second.
New leader: Kody Swanson puts his knowledge of Eldora to work and takes the lead from Paul Tracy.
Swanson is looking to become the second local star to win this season, joining Doug Coby at Stafford.
Green flag is back out. Scott Speed draws even with Paul Tracy at the restart, but PT is able to clear Speed going into Turn One.
This is the running order near halfway:
1. Tracy
2. Speed
3. Swanson
4. Stewart
5. Andretti
6. Labonte
7. Castroneves
8. Elliott
9. Waltrip
10. Ribbs
11. Francis Jr.
12. Kanaan
