FORT WORTH – While bobblehead giveaways of star athletes may be commonplace at other professional sports facilities, the promotion is a rarity at motorsports venues.
So it is fitting that in honor of three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart‘s final season, Texas Motor Speedway will distribute a limited-edition bobblehead of the racing star to the first 30,000 fans attending the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 6.
The bobblehead, presented by State Waterheaters and created by Colleyville’s TAT Company, features Stewart’s likeness with his trademark facial scruff and familiar Mobil 1 firesuit as he hoists a checkered flag inside Texas Motor Speedway. The bobblehead is part of “Tony Stewart’s Last Ride at Texas Motor Speedway” weekend, where the speedway and Stewart fans will salute him as he makes his final NASCAR Sprint Cup start at Texas Motor Speedway.
The bobbleheads will be distributed in Texas Motor Speedway’s Fan Zone beginning at 8 a.m. CT on race day. Fans must show their individual AAA Texas 500 race ticket in order to receive a bobblehead. The promotion will limit one bobblehead per individual.
Stewart has a successful history at Texas Motor Speedway dating to the venue’s opening in 1997. While known for his success in NASCAR, Stewart was the speedway’s inaugural Verizon IndyCar Series polesitter for the True Value 500k in 1997. He also is the only driver to win a pole in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Verizon IndyCar Series at Texas Motor Speedway.
In 36 career starts at Texas Motor Speedway (27 Sprint Cup, six XFINITY and three INDYCAR), he has two victories, four poles and has led 1,176 laps. Stewart also holds the speedway’s Sprint Cup Series pole record with a lap speed of 200.111 miles per hour coming in qualifying for the 2014 AAA Texas 500.
Stewart has also been a major contributor to Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter through his work as host of the Tony Stewart “Smoke Show” Fantasy Camp. The “Smoke Show” has raised more than $1.5 million since Speedway Children’s Charities debuted the event in 2009. The “Smoke Show” continues to be Speedway Children’s Charities largest grossing, single-day event of the year.
The AAA Texas 500 (1 p.m. CT, TV: NBC, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM, 95.9 The Ranch locally) is the second of three races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Round of 8 that will determine which four drivers will vie for the series championship in the Nov. 20 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The AAA Texas 500 also is part of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Texas Motor Speedway that also features the Camping World Truck Series Longhorn 350 on Friday, Nov. 4, and the XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 5.
Tickets for the AAA Texas 500 start as low as $49 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and under. To purchase tickets or for additional information, please contact the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500 or visitwww.texasmotorspeedway.com.
Story and photo courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations
