Tony Stewart to drive F1 car
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Barring an unforeseen scheduling hiccup, two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and 2008 Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will swap race cars in an exhibition later this year, Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning confirmed Saturday.
The seat swap comes at the hands of Mobil 1, a mutual sponsor for the two drivers, and is expected to take place at Watkins Glen International on June 14.
The cars involved will not be show cars. They will be legitimate race-prepared machines.
Hamilton will man Stewart's road course ready No. 14 Chevrolet Impala, and Stewart will drive Hamilton's 2010-model F1 McLaren. The respective drivers' race teams will travel with them to the event to tune the cars.
Stewart was not available for comment Saturday.
This isn't the first time NASCAR and F1 have hosted an event like this. In 2003, Jeff Gordon traded rides with Juan Pablo Montoya at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, after which both expressed greater appreciation for the other's respective discipline. Gordon made two runs in Montoya's BMW/Williams F1 machine.
"To get the opportunity here today to do this fulfills really every desire and dream that I had," Gordon said at the time.
Marty Smith is a contributor to ESPN's NASCAR coverage. He can be reached at ESPNsider@aol.com.
- ESPN NASCAR lead reporter
- Former NASCAR.com senior writer
- 15 years covering NASCAR
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