Stewart at the Indy 500? UPDATE 2:CART and Cup team owner Chip Ganassi, apparently uncomfortable with his rookie tandem of Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian, has asked CART veterans Jimmy Vasser and Paul Tracy to take their place and drive for him in next month’s 85th Indy 500. Tracy wanted to go but was told no by his CART sponsor, KOOL, while Vasser is game but must get the blessing of his car owner, Pat Patrick. And Tony Stewart might even figure in this equation. Stewart, whose contract with Joe Gibbs used to have a provision that allowed him to compete in the Indianapolis 500, hasn’t driven at Indy since 1999. That May he finished ninth, then flew to Charlotte for his Winston Cup duties. Afterward, he was so physically exhausted he vowed never to attempt that doubleheader again. However, recently he told some IRL officials he wanted to run Indy again if he could find a good team. Ganassi, competing in his rookie year of NASCAR, was in Talladega on Friday and expected to pursue the ’97 IRL champion. Stewart didn’t return phone calls Thursday or Friday and neither did Ganassi, who has one remaining test day at Indy next week. At this time, there is no confirmation that Ganassi has approached Stewart about driving for him at Indianapolis(ESPN/Robin Miller)(4-21-2001) UPDATE: Tony Stewart said he’ll run in the Indy 500 if he can get a good ride, either with either Chip Ganassi or Roger Penske. But Stewart said he’s made no plans(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE 2: Tony Stewart says there is no truth to reports that he is planning to drive in the Indianapolis 500. “I’ve always said that I want to go back and run Indy, but there’s no way I could do anything now anyway, and I’ve already told everybody I wasn’t going to go to Indy this year,” he said, adding. “I do want to go back, I just don’t know when it’s going to be.” While he denied the report, Stewart did enjoy it. “It’s good that my name is getting thrown out up there and that people haven’t forgotten me,” he said(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-22-2001)
