Yeah, you reach for the golden ring, reach for the sky; baby just spread your wings. We’ll get higher and higher straight up we’ll climb.— "Dreams" by Van Halen
It’s not hard to listen to these song lyrics, and know that there is one driver who has been steadily making that climb to the top.
Step by step, he continues to ascend into the secret places, which have been set apart for those drivers who choose to find success beyond their wildest imagination.
In an era where NASCAR is still searching for that one driver that the fans can readily call the next big superstar, all you have to do is look into the eyes of a driver who has had more then his share of problems, as well as controversy while making a name for himself in one of the toughest racing series that is out there today.
Tony Stewart's dream began back in 1987, when he won the World Karting Association Championship at the age of 16.
Ever since he got his first taste of what winning was all about, it turned into a passion that would see his racing career flourish while racing in the U.S.A.C. series, and at the same time he would begin to rapidly stockpile award after award that almost seemed endless.
It became more then evident, that any time Stewart would get behind the wheel of these open wheel gasoline burning beasts, victory was waiting for him at every track that he traveled to across this great country of ours.
Stewart only knows one way of approaching each race, and that is to be as aggressive while at the same time having that rough and tough style of driving that has also fueled his troublesome attitude since he made his Series debut in 1999.
By the time he was 31 years of age, Stewart had already won championships in the Winston Cup, Nextel Cup, and Indy Car Series.
He has also won championships in USAC, and the IROC Series which just added even more to the impact that Stewart would have on the entire racing world.
What exactly was it that fueled the desire within this Columbus, Indiana native to excel at a sport that is not only very dangerous, but also is very hard to make stay on top especially when you look around at all the talent that is out there?
Many of auto racing's biggest superstars have made at least one stop during their own journey, to test the waters of what new adventure driving a stock car would bring, whether it was a brief stint in the now defunct I.R.O.C. series, or stopping by to test their skills behind the wheel of a late model, on one of the many short tracks across the country.
Stewart ran with his dream, while at the same time taking the same path that Frank Sinatra took when he wrote his award-winning song, “My way.”
"I planned each charted course; each careful step along the byway, but more, much more than this, I did it my way. Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew. But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall, and did it my way."
These were the words that Sinatra sang time after time, for those millions of listeners that have enjoyed this song throughout the years.
At the age of 38, Stewart showed the racing world that dreams do come true, and that there is no goal out there that can’t be reached as long you have enough faith in yourself.
Stewart left the confines of JGR to do things, “his way.” Doing it his way, has always been the way that Stewart has approached his everyday challenges.
Stewart has more then exceeded his preseason expectations, with his second win of the season on Saturday night.
Stewart is already locked into the Chase, and it’s almost time to see just how well he can perform once the heat is turned up. It's been smooth sailing this season, and Stewart has yet to hit any bumps as of yet.
The true test of just how good this team really is will come when the team catches their first bad break, and only then will their true colors come shining through.
But for today, Stewart deserves to bask in his newfound glory knowing that every team will have its up and downs.
Stewart is steadily making his presence felt, while at the same time he continues to leave his footprints at each and every track that he visits.
Stewart is no stranger to entering unknown territory, so as the season progresses it’s going to get very interesting exactly where his dream will take him.
When we begin to reflect on his first win as an owner-driver on June 7 at Pocono, it was only a matter of time before Stewart would revisit an old friend that goes by the name of, “victory.”
Stewart was asked how special was it to visit an old friend?
“This was our first one with a point win. So this is the only first that we’re going to have in this situation. The rest of them are just going to be a number and stats down the road. So it is special,” he said.
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