If Tony Stewart wants to run the Indianapolis 500 next season, Roger Penske will give him a car. Penske twice Friday night offered Stewart the chance to enter next year’s race and insisted he’s serious about the opportunity. ‘Where’s Stewart?’ Penske asked during his speech accepting the Sprint Cup trophy during NASCAR’s season-ending awards ceremony. ‘How about doing the double at Indy this year? You available?’ The banquet room at Wynn Las Vegas Resort broke out into laughter, but Penske later insisted he was serious. ‘If he wants to do the double, I ‘d put him in it,’ Penske said. ‘We ‘ve talked about it before. I guess I made it official tonight.’ Stewart was not immediately available for comment.(in part from the Associated Press)(12-2-2012)
UPDATE: #14-Tony Stewart has passed up a chance to race for Roger Penske in the Indianapolis 500. The three-time NASCAR champion said Wednesday at the International Motorsports Industry Show that he wouldn ‘t attempt to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Penske extended the invitation last week in Las Vegas while accepting the Sprint Cup trophy. Later, when given the chance to shrug it off as a lighthearted moment with Stewart, Penske insisted he was very serious. There has been a push to get Stewart to race in Indianapolis since Penske made the offer, with Indianapolis Motor Speedway starting an online petition for fans to encourage the driver to accept the ride. The Indiana native twice ran both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. In 1999, he was ninth at Indy and fourth at Charlotte, and in 2001, he was sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.(Associated Press)(12-5-2012)
