Thursday, July 31, 2003
Reigning NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Tony Stewart gave NBC "Today" show host Matt Lauer a ride around Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31 in his No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet in a segment taped for "Today."
The two then swapped seats, with Lauer showcasing his driving skills as Stewart rode shotgun. The segment will air between 7-8 a.m. (EDT) Friday, Aug. 1 on the popular NBC morning show.
"When I was driving, it was about what I expected," Lauer said. "But when Tony was driving, it wasn't even close to what I expected. The straightaways didn't kill me because they were just kind of a blur, but when he would start heading into the turns my whole body would tighten up. And then I watched him working the wheel through the corners, constantly adjusting, and it was just amazing to me the speed we carried into those turns and through them with the fact that he was on the gas for half the corner."
Lauer, who had flown to Indianapolis after completing this morning's edition of "Today," arrived at the historic 2.5-mile oval shortly after noon local time. Taping wrapped two hours later, and Lauer was soon back on an airplane en route to New York.
"The cab drivers in New York are nothing now," Lauer said shortly after climbing from the two-seat Home Depot Chevrolet, made available by the Richard Petty Driving Experience. "You know what's great - you go fast in your own car without the skills of a race car driver, and it's completely nerve-wracking. You go fast in car with a guy of Tony's skills, and it calms you down a lot.
"It still scares the hell out of you, but you know he has the skills to handle whatever he sees. That makes a huge difference."
Stewart will make his fifth career Brickyard 400 start on Sunday, Aug. 3. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. (EDT), with live coverage by NBC Sports and the IMS Radio Network.
Tickets: Reserved-seat Race Day tickets for the Brickyard 400 remain available. Tickets and parking can be purchased on the World Wide Web via www.imstix.com or by calling the IMS Ticket Office at (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700.
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