#20 - Tony Stewart (Columbus, IN)

10th Chili Bowl Appearance

Chili Bowl Main Event Starts: 8

Best Chili Bowl Finish: 1st (2002)

2005 Chili Bowl Results:

Thursday: 2nd in Heat 8; 3rd in A Feature

Saturday: 23rd A Feature

The former USAC Triple Crown champion ranked atop the racing world in 2005 by capturing his second NASCAR Nextel Cup championship after his first title effort in 2002.

Stewart used a torrid stretch of five wins over the course of seven events in the summer to fuel his drive to the Nextel Cup Crown, recording 17 top-fives and 25 top-ten finishes overall in 36 events, accumulating approximately $13.5 million in winnings for the year.

Also a former IRL champion, Stewart still likes to return to his open wheel, dirt track racing roots and the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals fits the bill perfectly.

Stewart has made it to the Chili Bowl finale eight times in nine attempts, and his 2005 DNF ended a three-year stretch of top-four finishes, highlighted by a 2002 Chili Bowl victory.  Other top Chili Bowl finishes for the NASCAR champion include a third place finish in '03, fourth in '04 and eighth in 1994.

Vying for a second Chili Bowl Golden Driller Trophy to go along with his second Nextel Cup championship trophy, Stewart joins forces the potent Venture Racing team that also includes four-time Chili Bowl champion Sammy Swindell, teenager Kevin Swindell, Jason Leffler and Late Model shoe Josh Richards.  Rusty Kunz will be spinning the wrenches for the Spike Chassis team.

Car Owner:  Venture Racing, Inc.

Chassis:  Spike Chassis

Engine:  Mopar  

Sponsors:  Coca-Cola, Bass Pro Shops, Arctic Cat

Photo:  Tony Stewart hoists the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship trophy.  (Photo courtesy of Darrell Ingham/Getty Images)