Fishers Show Choir Invitational

By Matthew Lee
Photo by Alexander DeZarate
Coverage of the Indianapolis 500 by Free Press Newspapers Ltd.
MARYVILLE, Indiana -- A look at some of the best young racing stars in the country.

Most of these athletes are not on the track as much as the audience; the event is all they care about, even though they continue to practice. We have some of the best young stars in the country right here in Maryville. Take a look and you'll see.

Photo by Lee Hanson

Young driver Preston Stewart, driver of the last NASCAR Winston Cup team to go to the Indianapolis 500, now comes to the Fishtown Invitational for the first time.... His father, Tony, is the owner of the Stewart Scott racing team and the father-son duo took the school to school in the Indianapolis 500. They are not one of the stars of the weekend. They drove on the top fives. The other star of the weekend, Garrett Graves, started the event over half a lap faster than Stewart. They had finished seven laps in front of each other before the race. The overall driver of the top five was Travis Kvapil.

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Photo by Lee Hanson

The 13-year-old driver was about six laps away from Stewart in the lead by the halfway mark. He got passed by Stewart on the last corner, but Stewart was faster later when he was putting on an extra cut at the end of the last corner.

It is common for young drivers to take their father's team rather than the team that trained them. Garrett didn't want to put his family down any more than they have already been put down. And like his dad, he was pushing for redemption in the second go-round.

The winner who is most hated? Tony Stewart, of course. His ex-wife is bitter that he quit racing after she and their daughters left him in a divorce. He was beaten by Scott Morrison. The team that was holding off Stewart for so long was run by Scott Morrison. So this is another new name that has come out of the race this year.

Photo by Lee Hanson

John Hunter Nemechek, the brother of Tony, has been bouncing back after getting laid off at the end of the season last year.