Many people thought that Tony Stewart ran two major races in one day because of the possibility of glory, and maybe that's partially true, but there was another higher cause that he was racing for. That cause was to raise funds for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, an youth camp founded by fellow NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and his wife Patti. The camp is an extension of actor Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camps and is being built in memory of Kyle's late son Adam, who was killed in a racing accident last year.

Stewart, who donated $100 for each lap completed in his "daily double", the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, placed 6th at Indy and 3rd at Charlotte, and as a result donated $110,000 do the charity. Not only that but his sponsors, team owners and others also donated matching funds, and as a result over a quarter of a million dollars was raised by his efforts. Stewart is quoted as saying, "I'm proud to be a part of this great cause. I believe in what Kyle and Pattie are doing, and hope the money we raise in one day helps them build their dream." Ground breaking for the camp, which will provide facilities for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and their families, is scheduled for later this summer.

This wasn't the first time that Stewart, who drives for former Washington Redskins' Coach Joe Gibbs under the sponsorship of The Home Depot on the NASCAR circuit, has driven the Indianapolis 500. He was the 1996 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and started from the Pole Position that year. In 1999 he ran both the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indy 500, and after suffering from near exhaustion said that he would never attempt that feat again. This year, under the ownership of Chip Ganassi and sponsorship of Target, Stewart recanted his words and this time things went differently. Under the watchful eye of a personal trainer, and a strict diet, the hamburger loving Stewart was in no danger of suffering the same effects that he did previously in this long racing day. In fact, he termed the critics who said he couldn't accomplish the feat and that he was a danger to the other drivers, uninformed. It appears that his new physical fitness program and his desire to earn money for a charity that is dear to him, gave him the ability to accomplish this almost superhuman feat in grand fashion.

Tony Stewart is a celebrity hero to many race fans around the world, but now, thanks to his efforts, he will be a real-life hero to a group of disabled children and their families who will benefit from his skill, compassion and concern. Many will remember Tony Stewart for being a racing champion, but those types of glory are fleeting. Now Tony Stewart will be remembered as a champion of a higher nature. And that championship will always live on, even after his racing career ends. What better legacy could one man leave to humanity?