Tony Stewart still professes a love for open wheel racing, but his impending Winston Cup championship marks him as stock car racing's best. Like Jeff Gordon before him, Stewart left his first love for the lure of NASCAR.

Just this summer Stewart admitted to me that someday soon he will return to his first love, but for now, he'll soon be the Winston Cup champion.

The exodus of talented open wheelers to the fendered discipline started before Stewart. The first open wheeler to go NASCAR was Ken Schrader in the late 1970s. Schrader started at the bottom, driving for underfunded teams. But his abilities were quickly recognized and a ride with Rick Hendrick followed.

When Gordon followed, it was because there were few opportunities for young midget and sprint car drivers in the sport's top open wheel classes. CART and Formula On1 were formula driven. Aspiring oval racers like Gordon received little notice from the open wheel elite.

When Stewart came around, the IRL provided an opportunity for midget drivers who wanted a shot at the Indianapolis 500. Still, it took a midget veteran named Larry Curry to convince John Menard to take a chance on Stewart.

It didn't take long for Stewart to reward both Curry and Menard. Before leaving for NASCAR, Stewart captured the Indy Racing League's championship in 1997. When he left, Stewart took a lot of open wheel promise with him.

His departure slowed the IRL's progress and reduced the impact that midget and sprint car drivers had in the fledgling series. But Stewart had little choice. If he was going to have a professional career, Stewart had to go where the future was brightest -- and in 1998 that was NASCAR.

A lot has happened in open wheel racing since then. The predicted demise of the IRL never came to fruition. The rumored merger with CART never took place.

Instead, the IRL went about its business and evolved into a viable alternative for those who wish to stay with open wheels instead of moving to NASCAR.

NASCAR still sits at the pinnacle of American motorsports. Open wheelers like Jason Leffler have followed Stewart into NASCAR, but others have remained and have pursued careers in the IRL.

Despite his ascension to the top of NASCAR, Stewart has never left his open wheel roots. He owns the World of Outlaws car that Danny Lasoski drives, competes regularly in midgets and USAC's Silver Crown cars and insists the Indianapolis 500 is still the prize he most wants.

Stewart bucks at some of NASCAR's political correctness. He doesn't enjoy the media microscope that living in NASCAR's fishbowl produces. Like A.J. Foyt two generations before him, all Stewart wants to do is strap himself and race. Now, he will be NASCAR's champion. Partly because when he rose through the ranks, there was little alternative.

Drivers now have a choice.

A.J. Foyt IV has much the same natural ability as Stewart. Unlike his older brother Larry, A.J. IV has stayed in the open wheel world and will embark upon his career when the IRL opens its 2002 season in Homestead, Fla., on March 2.