by Thomas Zuck , Pittsburgh Tribune Review

But that didn't stop either NASCAR star from joining friend and fellow NASCAR driver Dave Blaney in taking part in the Lou Blaney Memorial on Tuesday night at Sharon Speedway.

"I'm excited about it -- something that all of us, Dave, Kasey and I, love doing, and we don't get enough opportunity to do so," Stewart said. "That's the great thing about Dave, you know, he will invite us up to run either a Sprint Car or a Modified."

The Blaney Memorial played to a packed house, and fans were treated to a show that included Stewart, Kahne and Blaney racing against some of the area's top Sprint Car drivers. Stewart won the race, while Blaney finished sixth and Kahne ninth.

There was also a Big Block Modified event, so both paid homage to the elder Blaney's career, which included a combined 600-plus victories in the Sprint and Modified from 1958-2004. Lou Blaney died in January at the age of 69.

"I didn't get to run with him much," Stewart said. "I got to run against him once here in the Big Block Modified, and he basically blew by me and drove by me, so I couldn't see him. He was awesome, calm, cool and collected, like his sons."

Stewart, the 2002 and 2005 NASCAR champion, is the owner of the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, so he was not just paying lip service to the event. It is something he clearly enjoys as a break from the fishbowl NASCAR scene.

For Kahne, the opportunity to race on dirt doesn't come often enough, he said. Earlier this season, Kahne flew over to Lernerville Speedway to race in the All-Star Sprint event, where he placed seventh.

"This type of racing I really enjoy," Kahne said. "I ran Midgets and Sprints; that's how I came through. I'm excited we were invited, and I really enjoy racing at Sharon. I never raced against him, but I always heard Lou was one of the best on the cushion. This is a huge part of where I came from, and we like to enjoy ourselves on these tracks."

In the early 1980s, Blaney gave up his seat in the family Sprint Car so Dave could advance his career, one that has led him to the heights of Sprint Car racing with the 1995 World of Outlaws championship. From there, he made a jump to NASCAR .

"I think he was a little bit ready to get out of Sprint Car at that point," Blaney said. "He gave it to me, and I just never gave it back to him, so hopefully I can go out there tonight and give a good show."

The races ended too late for this edition, but they weren't going to overshadow the celebration of Blaney's career.

Kahne and Stewart own dirt racing teams, and Blaney's family is synonymous with dirt racing.

"It's fun," Stewart said. "I have run a lot without the wings in my career. The wing side of it is something I am really fascinated by. I am not really good at it yet, like these guys. It is something I really look forward to, and something I really want to do more."

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