DECEMBER
4, 2005 --
Mid-Manhattan
was, for a short time, November 30, turned into a NASCAR course
for purpose of the second annual Victory Lap of the top ten
NASCAR drivers in 2005.
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Tony
Stewart the Nextel Champ, at Rockefeller Center.
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Tony
Stewart getting into his car at Rockefeller Center.
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NBC's
Ann Curry smiling from Car No 20 (Stewart's car).
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The procession began at Rockefeller
Center -- where LPR got photos of 2005 champion Tony Stewart, runner-up Greg
Biffle and third place driver Carl Edwards.
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Greg
Biffle.
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Carl
Edwards
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From Rockefeller Center, the NASCAR
procession turned south on Broadway, east on 42nd Street, and then up Madison
Avenue, east on 46th Street to Park Avenue and up the avenue to 375 Park
Avenue, where NASCAR has its New York office.
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The
NASCAR Top 10.
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The top ten NASCAR drivers in 2005 are: Champion Tony Stewart (winning his second
Nextel Cup) Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson Ryan Newman,
Matt Kenseth, Rusty Wallace (who has announced his retirement), Jeremy Mayfield
and Kurt Busch (last\ year's Nextel Cup champion).
LPR noticed -- at the Park Avenue pit stop -- people wearing T-shirts bearing
the names of their favorite drivers, and also men in business suits stopping
to have their pictures taken next to the NASCAR show cars.
After the photo op at the 375 Park Avenue plaza, NASCAR held a lunch honoring
Tony Stewart at the 21 Club.
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2nd
Time Winner Tony Stewart poses with the Nextel Cup,
indicating this is his second win.
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Champs
Tony Stewart and his team at 21. (left to right) Greg
Zipadelli, crew chief, Tony Stewart, and J.D. Gibbs,
team president.
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Following lunch, the Nextel Cup champion held a relaxed discussion with several
reporters. He told the press klatsch surrounding him that his parents mortgaged
their home so that he could drive a go-cart -- and he wondered how many parents
would do that, without any reason to think it would lead to a very successful
racing career.
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Stewart noted
that all of his go-cart friends wanted to race at Indy (the Indianapolis
500), but he was the only one to compete
at Indy.
His
greatest racing experience, he said, was winning the Brickyard
400, this year.
In response to a question from a reporter from the Long Island Press, Stewart
agreed that he races because he enjoys the experience.
Asked
about being "champion," Stewart wondered how the term
should be defined.
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Tony
Stewart speaking to the Press.
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A brief discussion
on the subject followed with Stewart indicating that being champion
means something more than being the top driver.
LPR heard of turmoil accompanying Stewart's first championship in 2002. LPR
saw no indication of difficulty with this year's championship, and has a hunch,
from Stewart's wide-ranging discussion with reporters -- we also learned that
his pet monkey holds the phone and listens when Stewart is on the other end.
(Stewart said that previously the monkey would put the phone in his mouth.
)-- that Tony Stewart is a champion in the full sense of the term, comprising
character as well as ability.
LPR hopes that NASCAR fans will enjoy these photos of the 2005 Victory Lap
in midtown New York. (LPR wonders when NASCAR races will be held in New York
City?)
The 2006 NASCAR season opens in Daytona Beach, in February.
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Cars
parked outside the plaza 375 Park Avenue, where NASCAR
has its New York office.
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NASCAR
Procession up Park Avenue.
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Parked
along Park Avenue.
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Another
Park Avenue view.
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Tony
Stewart - Champion - and driver of No. 20 - Sponsored
by Home Depot.
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No.
20 (Tony Stewart's Car) on Park Avenue.
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The
Top Ten.
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Parked
on Park Avenue as the Victory Lap procession passes.
(LPR heard no protests about the temporary halt in the
Park Avenue traffic flow.)
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