TULSA, Okla. – Veteran sprint car driver Shane Stewart, in partnership with Kevin Rudeen, has acquired Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Okla.
While Stewart has taken ownership of the eighth-mile dirt oval, the Ross and Eubanks families will continue to be involved with the day-to-day and race day operations to help with the transition to the Stewart family.
“I felt like it was a huge opportunity for a few reasons,” Stewart said about the acquisition of Port City Raceway. “One, it was a way for me to give back to racing. Two, it was a way for me to move my family back to Oklahoma and still be a part of the racing scene. Three, Port City is a staple in the micro scene and I feel like I can grow that.”
As a result of the acquisition, Stewart confirmed via a Twitter post that he is retiring as a driver after 37 years of sprint car racing.
https://t.co/lkS1Y3Q8Jy pic.twitter.com/TWrAE2mxKe
— Shane Stewart (@shanestewartrcg) December 29, 2020
As part of the acquisition, Stewart has formed a partnership with his former car owner and current owner of the Rudeen Racing sprint car team, Kevin Rudeen.
“I’m proud to be partners with Shane Stewart,” said Rudeen. “This is a way I can give back to racing to keep young people in the sport and help the sport grow.”
Port City Raceway was founded in 1974 in RuJo Raceway and has become a hot bed of micro sprint racing in the United States. A number of drivers have made names for themselves at Port City, including Tulsa legends Leon Bacon, Donnie Crawford, Pete Frazier and current stars like Jason McDougal, Tyler Thomas, Brady Bacon and Christopher Bell.
“Shane is a great fit or the track,” said Mike Eubanks, the former co-owner of Port City Raceway. “He has the same passion as we do for racing and racers. We feel he will take it to the next level.”
Stewart said he is focused on learning how the track operates and what it takes to become a promoter.
“The major thing this year will be learning how things work on on a nightly basis,” said Stewart. “Going from driving to being a promoter is going to be a huge change for me, but one that I am excited to learn. If thinks work out the way I hope they do, I plan on adding a new event here and there to the schedule and see how things go. The track has a strong following now and I hope that Jenn and I can grow that.”