FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 10, 2024) – The 14th Tony Stewart’s Smoke Show fundraiser benefiting Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter raised $78,000 for children in need in North Texas but the biggest smile the three-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion put on anyone’s face at Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 9 was on that of a 99-year-old true American hero.
Fort Worth resident and WWII Battle of Iwo Jima survivor Don Graves sang the national anthem to open the fundraising event, where 16 participants experienced the thrill of riding with Stewart at near-race speeds and also getting behind the wheel themselves.
The United States Marine Corps veteran was then helped into the passenger seat of a Team Texas David Starr’s Racing School NASCAR stock car to take three laps at speed with Stewart behind the wheel. The smile on his face as the race car came to a stop on pit road was priceless.
“I was scared at first, I’ll be honest,” said Graves. “I’ve never done that before. After we got going, I watched him shift, downshift, everything, I said ‘Heck, this guy knows what he’s doing. But I gotta tell you, I enjoyed it. I really did. Next year, I’m ready to go again!”
There was a big smile on Stewart’s face as well.
“It was a little nerve-wracking,” said Stewart, who earned Texas Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series victories in 2005 and 2011. “I haven’t been in a stock car for a year and then find out your very first ride is a war hero. Definitely wanted to make a good impression on him. The biggest thing I was really nervous about wasn’t crashing the car with him in there. It was getting done with the ride and him going ‘I don’t think you gave me a hundred percent.’
You know, military guys are big on that. They want you to give your all so we made sure we gave him a good ride. It was such an honor to meet someone like him and hear him sing the national anthem for everybody.”
I love the fact that we get to bring race fans that truly don’t understand what it’s like to be a NASCAR driver and you get to bring them to an event that raises a lot of money for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas and gives that window into what it’s like to be a driver for a day. The most fun part of it for me, just having that one-on-one time, even though it’s a short amount of time, to hear them talk about what they just experienced is worth it all to me.”
Tony Stewart’s Smoke Show has raised more than $2 million since the inaugural event in 2008. Speedway Children’s Charities will grant all funds raised throughout 2024 to non-profit organizations that serve children in need in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties.
“That was a memory that tops probably any Smoke Show memory that I’ve ever experienced,” said Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter Executive Director Marissa Chaney. “So many people come to this event in order to meet Tony so watching him give a ride to a true American hero, someone we all respect so much, was something no one here will ever forget. It was emotional seeing Don’s face once he got out of the car. It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen at a Tony Stewart Smoke Show.
“Today’s event was just amazing. We had 16 participants, most of whom were new to the program and had never had this experience before so it was really cool to see them walk into the locker room for the first time to have this experience together.”
Team Texas David Starr’s Racing School, owned and operated by veteran NASCAR driver and Houston native David Starr, provided and prepared the former NASCAR race cars adorned in NASCAR paint schemes from the recent past.
SCC-TX distributes grants each December to local nonprofit organizations in the region. In 2023, 22 grants totaling $210,180 were distributed to help more than 20,000 children in need in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties. Since 1997, Speedway Children’s Charities Texas Chapter has distributed more than $12 million.
For more information at Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter or to donate, go to www.speedwaycharities.org/texas/ or contact Marissa Chaney, Executive Director, at 817.215.8564 or [email protected].
Event tickets and camping for the 2025 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 NASCAR tripleheader weekend are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus purchasing individual tickets, take advantage of interest-free monthly payments, get the best seat selection, and more. Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets.
The balance of Texas Motor Speedway’s 2024 event season includes the Kubota High Limit Racing All-In Championship (Oct. 11-12), October Truck Madness (Oct. 12), Gift of Lights (Nov. 28-Jan. 1, 2025) and Speedway Children’s Charities Grant Ceremony & Dinner with Santa (Dec. 5). For more information on the schedule and much more, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.
ABOUT SPEEDWAY CHILDREN’S CHARITIES – TEXAS CHAPTER
Since 1997, Speedway Children’s Charities at Texas Motor Speedway has distributed more than $12 million in funding to non-profit organizations supporting children in need in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties. Funds distributed are raised through special events held throughout the year including the annual NASCAR tripleheader weekend. Visit www.speedwaycharities.org/texas/ for more information.
ABOUT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Texas Motor Speedway is among the largest sports and entertainment venues in the United States. The speedway has an array of amenities such as Big Hoss, the largest single LED screen of any sports facility in North America, making it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. The 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth hosts all three NASCAR national series among its various races and specialty events throughout the year. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, LLC, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit texasmotorspeedway.com.
MORE INFO:
Keep track of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Speedway website and TMS mobile app.
Source: Texas Motor Speedway
