No snub: Stewart visits White House
President Barack Obama talks with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart during an event to honor him and the 2011 Sprint Cup drivers.
By: Randy Hallman | Times-Dispatch
Published: April 17, 2012
WASHINGTON --
Last year Tony Stewart was one of a few no-shows when President Barack Obama invited top NASCAR drivers to the White House. On Tuesday, Stewart was the guest of honor.
Stewart won the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. Tuesday, he and the other 11 drivers who qualified for the sport's postseason Chase, came to the White House to be honored by the president. The 12 were given a tour then emerged with the president into the afternoon sun on the South Lawn. Flanked by two of Stewart's brightly painted race cars, Obama welcomed the drivers and made special mention of Stewart, whose 2011 championship was his third, and Jimmie Johnson, who had won five consecutive titles before Stewart broke his streak.
In his brief remarks Obama recounted Stewart's stirring run to win the championship. After struggling much of the year, he barely qualified for the postseason run and even questioned whether he belonged in the title-eligible field. But Stewart's team clicked and he won five of the 10 Chase races. The final event was a showdown in Miami for Stewart and Carl Edwards.
Obama reminded the 300 or so NASCAR friends and officials gathered for the event that Stewart finished in grand form. During the course of the race, Obama said, Stewart had trouble and fell back several times, but kept charging to the front. All told, the president said, "he passed 118 cars ... won the race and won the title with a tiebreaker."
Stewart and Edwards finished in a points dead heat, but Stewart's five victories trumped Edwards' single win, giving Stewart the championship. Obama also praised the NASCAR drivers for their support of men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces.
After the president's remarks, he and Stewart strolled over to one of Stewart's race cars. A phalanx of Secret Service types followed quickly, as if the race-ready Chevrolet might blow an engine and erupt into flames. The president and the NASCAR champ had a brief off-mike chat. Asked later what they talked about, Stewart said Obama was interested in technological changes that have altered NASCAR racing.
"He's not a casual fan," Stewart said. "He really knows the sport. ... It's great to have the leader of our country so knowledgeable about our sport."
Stewart was asked if he had talked to the president about missing last year's White House visit because of a prior commitment, seen by many as a snub of the president.
"No," Stewart said, "because I'm embarrassed that I had to miss it. It's hard enough to even be in that situation."
Stewart said that because of that, he makes it clear to sponsors and others that no scheduled engagement will put him in that situation again. "They're all aware that if the invite comes we'll be there."
Stewart is off to a strong start this year with two victories in the young season. He's just two weekends away from the first of two annual visits to Richmond International Raceway, a track he said is his favorite.
"Richmond is the perfect size for Cup racing," he said. "You race close, but you're not stacked on top of each other so you can't maneuver."
He said he has not had great results at the track, "and that just makes it bittersweet to have a track be your favorite and struggle on it." He said he is counting on crew chief Steve Addington to find something to help his performance at RIR.
rhallman@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6115
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updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM