NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, who is retiring at season's end, next week "will receive" a dirt track inside Turn 3 of Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of a "going-away gift," according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. IMS President Doug Boles on Tuesday said that the plan "is to install a 3/16th-mile oval for Stewart's media appearance July 5." Several teams that own dirt midget cars "have been invited for what amounts to an exhibition." Assuming things come together as expected, IMS will also "modify the track so it's large enough to host sprint cars." Boles said that IMS "won't get in the business of hosting frequent dirt-track events, but it could have an assortment of 'special' events" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/29). NBCSPORTS.com's Tony DiZinno noted the dirt yesterday was "being brought into" IMS. Boles, appearing on ESPN Radio 93.5 Indianapolis on Tuesday, said IMS will "remove" the dirt before July's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard. Boles: "But part of me says, if this works really well, maybe we oughta have a short dirt track or two at the Speedway" (NBCSPORTS.com, 6/29).
