NASCAR insider recalls Tony Stewart's unmatched 1100 mile Indy-Charlotte Double
NASCAR insider Steven Taranto shared a throwback post to Tony Stewart's iconic 1100-mile double duty at Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600. The record remains untouched after Kyle Larson's 'Hendrick 1100' attempt came crashing down with a double DNF at both events.
In 2001, Stewart became the only driver to complete 1100 miles in a single day, finishing third in the Coca-Cola 600 and sixth in the Indy 500, both on the lead lap. The record-setting effort wasn't without it's setbacks, as Stewart overcame an early spin in his run at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He previously attempted the 'Double' in 1999, but fell short of the feat by falling behind four laps in the Indy 500.
During Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, Larson spun around from the lead on lap 43, before getting caught up in a late stage crash that ultimately ended his day. Drawing parallels to Stewart's double duty in 2001, NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi shared the following anecdote:
"Worth noting, when Tony Stewart attempted the Double in 2001, he spun on Lap 3 of the Coca-Cola 600. He still came back to finish third."
Worth noting, when Tony Stewart attempted the Double in 2001, he spun on Lap 3 of the Coca-Cola 600. He still came back to finish third.
In response, Taranto shared a short clip of Stewart's spin at the 2001 Coke 600.
"Very good observation by Jordan. This is what happened to Tony Stewart in the opening laps of the 2001 Coke 600. He went on to complete all 1,100 miles of the Indy-Charlotte Double and is still the only driver to ever do so."
Stewart is a former IndyCar and NASCAR Cup champion. He currently competes in the Top Fuel category of the NHRA with his own team, Tony Stewart Racing Nitro. He recently logged his fastest-ever elapsed time enroute to his second NHRA win at the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago. The result placed him at the top of the points standings with a three-point lead over the previous frontrunner, Shawn Langdon.
"We've got some speed now": Tony Stewart celebrates career-best ET at Route 66 Nationals
Tony Stewart recently highlighted the effort behind his career-best 3.679-second pass during qualifying at Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois. Driving the No.14 Dodge, the 53-year-old achieved the benchmark at a speed of 332.43 MPH.
In an Instagram reel shared by Stewart, he shared his excitement over the feat, stating,
"We're really excited because I feel like our car has been very consistent this year. It's been very good in hot weather with a track so slick and obviously had a cold front come through last night. We had cool conditions today and to put up that 3.679 run was strong for us. So, very encouraging that we've got some speed now."
Tony Stewart went on to grab his second win in three races after holding off Justin Ashley in the final round, with the triumph coming just a month after his first breakthrough win at Las Vegas Four-Wide nationals. The event also marked his fourth straight appearance in the final round.