SOME DRIVERS' BARK BIGGER THAN THEIR BITE.Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. driver Ron Hornaday Jr. bought his wife a Shih Tzu Shih Tzu (shē dz  ), breed of active, alert toy dog originating in Tibet centuries ago. It stands from 8 to 11 in. (20.3–27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 9 to 18 lb (4. nine years ago. A few years later, his wife returned the favor and bought Hornaday another Shih Tzu. Then Tony Stewart brought over his dogs to visit the Hornadays, which prompted another Shih Tzu addition. Now the Hornadays have four Shih Tzus, one appropriately named Stewart, a cat and a goldfish in their North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. home. ``They all get along,'' said Hornaday, a former Saugus Speedway champ who is driving on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Kevin Harvick, Inc. ``They all have their personalities.'' Hornaday and Stewart aren't the only animal enthusiasts in NASCAR. Todd Bodine, Jeff Burton and even seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Richard Petty call horses, rabbits, goats and dogs pets. Animal Planet put together a one-hour television show about the NASCAR drivers and their pets to coincide with the start of the Nextel Cup Series. ``NASCAR: Animal Crew'' debuted Feb. 17 and will air throughout the month on Animal Planet. Hornaday's pets were used for part of the show. ``That was a lot of fun,'' he said. ``People don't understand racers. We have a life, too. People wanted to see that.'' Some of the drivers' pets have charmed lives. Greg Biffle's boxer, for example, has a reserved seat on the team's jet. The boxer goes with Biffle to races throughout the year. ``It's kind of surprising sometimes how the animals are treated,'' said Sarah Nettinga, the director of film, television and music for NASCAR Digital Entertainment. ``That's the fun part of doing different types of shows.'' The TV show will include footage shot at NASCAR events at North Carolina Speedway North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located in Rockingham, North Carolina. It is affectionately known as "The Rock" and hosted NASCAR events from 1965 to 2004, and has proposed hosting Automobile Racing Club of America series races starting in 2008. , Lowe's Motor Speedway Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. It features a 1.5 mile long quad-oval track that seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more spectators in the infield. and Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a superspeedway in Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5 mile standard oval. showing drivers with their pets. ``Animal Planet is always looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. new ways to showcase the powerful connection between people and animals and `NASCAR: Animal Crew' is a perfect example of how pets can bring joy despite the tremendous pressure of the NASCAR racing circuit,'' said Maureen Smith, executive vice president and general manager of Animal Planet. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Tony Stewart carries one of his dogs in his driving suit as part of Animal Planet's ``NASCAR: Animal Crew'' television show. Animal Planet |
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