Tony Stewart's three-quarter midget awaits him Friday afternoon at Thunder Valley Raceway in Salem, Ind. (Lenny Batycki/PRN's At The Track Photo)
Tony Stewart's three-quarter midget awaits him Friday afternoon at Thunder Valley Raceway in Salem, Ind. (Lenny Batycki/PRN's At The Track Photo)

Tony Stewart Returning To TQ Midget Roots Tonight

SALEM, Ind. — Tony Stewart spends most of his time racing a 410 sprint car these days, but tonight he’s scheduled to jump behind the wheel of a three-quarter midget at a track he hasn’t seen in years.

Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, will join the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets when the tour he owns visits Thunder Valley Raceway Friday evening. Stewart acquired the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets in late 2019.

Friday’s race will be broadcast live by SPEED SPORT TV affiliate Dirt2Media.TV.

Tony Stewart following a UMRA King of the TQ Midgets Series victory in 1989 at the Rush County Fairgrounds. (NSSN Archives Photo)
Tony Stewart following a UMRA King of the TQ Midgets Series victory in 1989 at the Rush County Fairgrounds. (NSSN Archives Photo)

It’s scheduled to be the first of at least three appearances for Stewart with the series during the next two weeks. In addition to Friday’s event, he’s slated to race Saturday in his hometown of Columbus, Ind., when the series visits the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds. He’s also scheduled to race with the series again at Bartholomew on Oct. 3.

Stewart has won his last three starts in a three-quarter midget at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds dating back to 2017. However, he’ll be faced with a new challenge Friday night when he competes at Thunder Valley Raceway in a three-quarter midget for the first time.

The 49-year-old Stewart has a long history of racing three-quarter midgets. As a teenager, Stewart was a frequent competitor with UMRA TQ midget series, which has evolved into the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ midgets.

After graduating from go-kart racing, Stewart won his first UMRA feature in 1989 and earned four victories during his rookie season.

Cory Clay is the defending champion of what was then the UMRA King of the TQ Midgets series.

Friday’s broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Dirt2Media.TV. The Midwest Mini Sprint Ass’n, super stocks and outlaw four-cylinder hornets will join the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets on the card Friday night.