Kahne will drive a car entered in combination with Stewart, Leffler's girlfriend, Julianna Patterson, and former father-in-law, Bob East., in the Jan. 14-18 race at the Tulsa Expo Center in Oklahoma.
Plans had been for Leffler and Patterson to co-own the car, and Leffler and East to build it together before Leffler's death in a June sprint car crash. East continued the project following the accident, and Patterson turned to Stewart for help after the three-time NASCAR champion broke his leg in his own sprint car accident last season.
"She told me, 'I'm going to be a car owner at the Chili Bowl' and I said, 'OK?' kind of quizzically, and it's just gone on from there," Stewart told The Associated Press. "Bob is building the car. The owner was going to be Jason and Julianna, and I really wanted to be involved."
So did Kahne, who was close friends with the 37-year-old Leffler, a journeyman NASCAR driver who loved racing so much he entered everything he could. The night he was killed in a sprint car race in New Jersey, the winner was guaranteed just $7,000.
Kahne had to first convince his NASCAR team owner, Rick Hendrick, to sign off on his participation in the Chili Bowl. Hendrick hasn't forbidden Kahne from any extracurricular racing, but hasn't exactly rubber-stamped Kahne's opportunities, either.
Kahne felt racing in honor of Leffler at the Chili Bowl, with the promise of raffling off the car after for the Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust to benefit Leffler's son, would get him the permission from Hendrick.
The Chili Bowl is one of the most prestigious midget events of the year and has a star-studded lineup. The entry list is nearing 250 already and includes Sammy and Kevin Swindell, Joey Saldana, Bryan Clauson, and NASCAR drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson.
E-FRIENDLY SERIES GETS INVESTMENT
A new, environmentally friendly auto racing series just got even greener.
Boston Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck and a dozen of his co-owners in the NBA franchise have invested $21 million into Formula E, an all-electric circuit that has already attracted celebrities with environmental interests such as actor Leonardo DiCaprio and billionaire Richard Branson. The series is scheduled to debut in Beijing in September and continue on the streets from Miami to Monaco in a 10-race, Formula One-style championship.
"We aim to help make Formula E a worldwide sensation," Grousbeck told The Associated Press this week shortly before the deal closed. "With our upcoming races in the centers of Los Angeles and Miami, we will help showcase the power and promise of sustainable vehicle technology."
The leader of a group that purchased the NBA's most-decorated franchise in 2002, Grousbeck formed Media Partners this May - it's named for the street that runs past the Boston Garden - along with fellow venture capitalists Bob Higgins and Mark Wan, a Celtics co-owner who is also part-owner of the San Francisco 49ers.
The group has raised about $100 million to invest in sports media and entertainment properties.
Formula E is its first.
"We know the power of competition and entertainment, and will bring our knowledge to the development of the market for electric vehicles," Grousbeck said. "Causeway's mission is to find investment opportunities that benefit from our deep network of NBA and NFL team owners, media executives and professional investors. Formula E is a perfect match."
In an email from Malaysia, where he joined Prime Minister Najib Razak to announce the second race on the 2014 schedule, Formula E chief executive officer Alejandro Agag said the investment by American sports team owners is "a game-changer."
"The U.S. is one of the main markets for Formula E," said Agag, adding that there will be two American teams and two American races in the first season. "To have a partner that knows deeply the U.S. sports market places us in a unique position to develop our championship in the Americas."
Contributor: The Associated Press
