IndyCar: Tony Stewart turned down 2019 Indy 500 offer from Bobby Rahal

Former NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar driver Tony Stewart turned down an offer from Bobby Rahal to compete in the 2019 Indy 500.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 1996-1997 IndyCar champion Tony Stewart recently stated that he wants to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in the future. He has not competed in the race since 2001.

Stewart made five starts in the Indy 500 from 1996 to 2001. In 1996, 1997 and 1998, he competed in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” as a full-time IndyCar driver, whereas in 1999 and 2001, he competed in the race as a full-time Cup Series driver.

In fact, by competing in the Indy 500 in 1999 and 2001, Stewart attempted to complete the Memorial Day Double, as he also competed in the Cup Series race, the Coca-Cola 600, at Charlotte Motor Speedway on both of those two Memorial Day Sundays after those two Indy 500 races had concluded.

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In five career Indy 500 starts, Stewart finished the race three times. Each time he finished it, he finished it in the top nine. His best finish in the race is his fifth place finish in 1997. He took the pole position for his first career Indy 500 in 1996.

By finishing in sixth place in the 2001 Indy 500 and then in third in the Coca-Cola 600 later that evening, Stewart became the first driver to complete all 1,100 miles of the Memorial Day Double. To this day, he is the only driver who has done so.

Here is what the 47-year-old Columbus, Indiana native had to say about potentially returning to the Indy 500 in a recent interview. (WARNING: NSFW language contained within video)

https://twitter.com/MattWeaverAW/status/1027611444131647489

However, Stewart has now stated that he rejected an offer to compete in next year’s Indy 500. He claims that Bobby Rahal, one of the three co-owners of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, offered him a ride in one of his Honda-powered cars for this race in eight and a half months.

Here is what Stewart had to say about the matter, according to NBC Sports.

"“And I don’t do emails, so I haven’t even responded to Bobby Rahal yet, so I just found out I had an email from him. Sorry Bobby, I don’t do email.“Not this coming year. I did what I normally do, I let my mouth open before I thought about what I was saying and mentioned that I was open to the possibility again, and I realistically am.“The reason I wouldn’t do it next year, I’m not doing it to just do it. I want to do it to try to win the race. If you’re really going to do that, the IndyCar Series is so competitive right now, and the drivers and teams so tough, you’re not going to just stroll in here like they used to do in the ’70s and ’80s and do a good job. I’d want to run an oval race sometime in the coming year to get ready for 2020 if I’m going to do it.“I’ve learned to never say never, but you keep doing the math, and I’m pretty sure 49’s probably not a good age to try to resurrect an IndyCar career, but who knows, I’ve done a lot dumber things than that.”"

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing currently field two full-time cars in IndyCar, one for Bobby Rahal’s son Graham and the other for 2017 Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato. They partnered with Scuderia Corsa to field a third entry for Oriol Servia in this year’s Indy 500.

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Will Tony Stewart ever make his sixth start in the Indianapolis 500? If so, when will he do so, and for which team will he drive?