Tony Stewart packs on the pounds

UPDATE #3 Another reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1, Great older photos of AJ on the Hot News items about Tony Stewart but I think your ages/dates are way off from the other reader. The 2nd picture appears to be Foyt at Mosport in 1977 at age 42 (not 47) and the third looks like 1975 (at age 40 not 37). The car in the background in the 2nd photo is a Wally Dallenbach Wildcat – STP was gone for a while after 1977 and came back on the red/blue Pat Patrick cars… The decals in the other picture seem a best match for 1975 and the nose of the Coyote is a 1974-1975 configuration…..Anyway, keep up the great work! Chris Ruske

07/14/08 A reader writes, We all know that Tony Stewart's idol is AJ Foyt. Many have this perception that AJ is this driver legend who is now an obese owner of a backmarker team but we should remember that he is 73 after all (Born Jan 16, 1935) and has earned the right to be as fat as he wants.

AJ in 2008

Tony Stewart is 37 (born May 20, 1971). He currently looks more like AJ did in his late 40's

AJ at 47 (?)

than when AJ was 37.

AJ at 37

While I could stand to lose a few pounds myself, I'm also not a professional race car driver. Tony needs to lay off the French Fries. Is this a plan to get Jenny Craig as an Associate Sponsor? Randy

07/13/08 A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I just saw the picture of Tony Stewart. Man O man is he turning into the Pillsbury Doughboy. Maybe Slim Fast should be his new sponsor? Or how about Jenny

The huge gut on Tony Stewart underscores just how fat and out of shape he is

Diane Schenk/AutoRacing1

Craig or NutriSystem? Mike N, Ohio

07/12/08 If you wonder why Kyle Busch has run circles around his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota teammate Tony Stewart, one has to look no further than the huge gut of an obviously out of shape driver.

While some may argue that race car drivers are athletes, one Tony Stewart clearly is not. And so you have your answer of why Busch has made Stewart look like an also-ran.