Stewart’s win the first since ‘he can remember’

[debwill]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 20, 2008

Contact: Chuck Licata @ K-MAC Sports, 512.219.1090

 

Stewart’s win the first since ‘he can remember’

 

(Austin, TX) Ask Heath Stewart (Del Valle, TX) when the last time was he won an auto race and he can’t recall for sure.

 

Well, problem solved for now. Stewart, 34, led each of the 50 laps (after starting on the pole) as he took the checkered flag for the Allstate Texas Thunder 50 race, the 2008 season opener for the Texas Super Racing Series (TSRS) Late Models.

 

Stewart’s win came Saturday, April 18 at Thunderhill Raceway (THR) in front of a very large crowd as the Allstate Texas Thunder 50 was part of the NASCAR Camping World Series race weekend at THR.

 

“I honestly can’t think of it right now,” stated Stewart. “The year I won the USRA Late Model championship (2005), I didn’t win a race. I guess it was 2004 when I last won a race.”

 

Stewart entered Saturday’s race in the #1 Southside Wrecker/Lefthander Chassis Monte Carlo courtesy of TSRS defending champion Bobby Joe New. He grabbed the pole with a qualifying time of 15.425 seconds around the 3/8-mile paved asphalt, beating out Brian Moczygemba of San Antonio (15.436) and Cody Smith of La Vernia (15.483) for the pole.

 

Ironically, it was Smith who was knocking – or, “tapping” – on Stewart’s bumper, per se, when the race took the green-white-checkered with two laps to go. However, Smith never “pushed” Stewart out of the way and Stewart hung on for the win in a car he was pushing to the limits.

 

“Our car took about three laps to come in and it got better as the race went on,” Stewart explained. “I was just trying to hit my spots and not make a mistake.

 

It wasn’t that hard to drive, I was just going the fastest I could go. I was pressing out there, especially with the green-white-checkered finish. Towards the end they (team spotters) told me to pick it up but I was giving it all I had. I was having trouble in the corners, if I used the brakes a lot then the car would push. I know Cody raced me clean and I thank him for that.”

 

He added, “I got to thank Bobby Joe New (car owner) – this is his car and he’s letting me drive it. It’s a great car and great crew. J.R. Kremmer did a great job setting the car up for qualifying and the race. Between those two and Adam Wilkerson and Curtis Droshie, they make it very easy for me as the driver.”

 

Information on TSRS can be found at www.manracingpromotions.com.

 

- 30 –

 

Texas Super Racing Series 2008 Schedule*

 

Legend of tracks:

 

HMP - Houston Motorsports Park (Houston, TX)

RRS - Red River Speedway (Wichita Falls)

THR - Thunderhill Raceway (Kyle, TX)

 

 

Saturday, April 19: THR

Race Winner: Heath Stewart, Del Valle (TX)

 

Next Race: Saturday, April 26: THR

 

Saturday, May 17: HMP

Saturday, May 31: THR

Saturday, June 7: RRS

Saturday, June 21: HMP

Saturday, July 26: THR

Saturday, Aug. 2: RRS

Saturday, Aug. 16: HMP

Saturday, Aug. 30: THR

Saturday, Sept. 13: THR

Saturday, Sept. 27: THR

*schedule subject to change