Tony enjoys a great game of poker! And, on Saturday, November 28 with the Chase and a hugely successful race season behind him plus Chase Week in Las Vegas before him, "Smoke" is hosting a Texas Hold'em Tournament at the new Hollywood Casino located on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana / www.hollywoodindiana.com.
In addition to being one of only eight exclusive properties to host a WPT event in the U.S., one of the major attractions of Hollywood Casino is its 41-table, World Poker Tour-branded poker room. Hollywood Lawrenceburg is one of only a few live World Poker Tour poker rooms in the U.S. and the largest poker room of any kind in the Midwest.
The Hollywood Fall Classic kicks off on Thursday, November 12, features 14 distinctive events, and concludes on November 28 with Tony's tournament benefitting the Tony Stewart Foundation. The Main Event kicks off at 2:00 pm EDT; entry fee is $500 or you can win your way in through a satellite tournament.
Please contact Hollywood Casino for more details; www.hollywoodindiana.com or Kevin.Dawn@pngaming.com.
Fans will receive a special room rate of $199 at Hollywood Casino. The promotional discount code is “Tony Stewart”. Simply call Hollywood Casino at 1-888-274-6797 and ask for operator TSF.
Serious Smoke fans will have an option to enjoy a VIP Luncheon prior to the Main Event Tournament. Scheduled for Saturday, November 28 from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, guests will enjoy great food & drink plus mingle with Tony and his VIP guests. Each guest will receive a Gift Bag with an autographed item and will be allowed to bring two items to have Tony autograph. This unique opportunity costs $250 with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the Foundation. Reservations are limited to 150 guests so you reserve your spot early.
TSF will start accepting reservations & payment for the November 28 Main Event tournament on or before Monday, October 26. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Reservations & payment to attend Smoke’s VIP Luncheon will be accepted on or before Monday, October 26. No walk-in registrations will be permitted. Deadline to reserve your attendance at the VIP Luncheon is Friday, November 20. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Signup for the Satellite Tournament play will be made directly with Hollywood Casino or can be done as a ‘walk in’ based on the play schedule that will be posted following confirmation by the Indiana Gaming Commission to Hollywood Casino.
Proceeds from Smoke’s Texas Hold’em Tournament will generally support animal organizations operating throughout the United States. Specifically, a percentage will be used in Tony’s home state of Indiana to support the “Tony’s Ex-Racers” program established in 2008. Tony’s Ex-Racers are thoroughbreds that have been “retired” from the race track at a young age for a variety of reasons. This public charity operated solely by volunteers, Friends of Ferdinand, rescues these horses from the track and rehabilitates them into second careers. You can learn more about this program by visiting www.FriendsofFerdinand.org or watch our video on the foundation web site (Friends of Ferdinand).
The foundation is proud to recognize its partners for this event:
Our sincere thanks to each of our partners for helping raise funds for our grant program benefitting organizations that serve endangered or abused animals.
Further enhancing this event, the Foundation & Emmis Marketing Group is hosting an “Are You a Super Fan?” contest to identify 2 "super fans" to participate in the weekend's festivities and meet Tony.
97.1 HANK FM’s Wank & O’Brien invite fans to create a video (minimum 30 seconds/maximum 2 minutes) detailing why & how they are Tony Stewart’s SuperFan. Creativity & originality will be rewarded. The contest begins October 19 & the deadline to enter is November 8. A review committee of the Emmis Marketing Group will narrow the entry field to 14 finalists. From those finalists, a panel of judges representing the Tony Stewart Foundation, Stewart-Haas Racing & Bonneau Productions will determine two (2) Grand Prize Winners.
Each Grand Prize Winner will receive:
• Round trip transportation to Smoke’s Texas Hold’em Tournament
• Hotel accommodation at the Hollywood Casino
• Seat at the Main Event / Poker Tournament
• Opportunity to personally meet Tony Stewart
• Autographed #14 Shirt & Hat
Twelve (12) Runners-Up will receive autographed Tony Stewart memorabilia.
Put on your creative hat & start to rehearse how you will show that YOU are Tony’s SUPER FAN! Complete contest rules & how to post your Super Fan Video will be posted on www.971hankfm.com/tony_stewart.aspx on or before Monday, October 19.
Have your poker strategy ready? With an $80 entry fee, you can join a Satellite Tournament & play to win your seat to play poker with Tony Stewart. The World Poker Tour-branded Poker Room at Hollywood Casino is the place to be starting November 1 – 28, 2009. The Hollywood Fall Classic features 14 separate events concluding with Tony’s N/L Texas Hold’em Tournament at 2:00 pm EDT on Saturday, November 28.
There are Two Ways to Enter a Satellite Tournament:
| 1. | Visit Hollywood Casino any day starting November 1 and sign up to assemble a “Smoke’s” Satellite Tournament. The folks at Hollywood’s poker room will announce the opportunity and, once 10 players have entered with an $80 fee each, the play will commence. The winner of the satellite tournament earns their place at the November 28 Main Event. |
| 2. | Visit Hollywood Casino on these specific dates/times when “Smoke’s” $500 Super Satellite Tournaments have been formally scheduled. T.K. and Kevin will seat as many players as want to play – there are 41 tables ready & waiting in the poker room! |
| Day | Date | Start Time | Buy-In | Fee | Starting Chips |
Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Nov. 21 | 8:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Sunday | Nov. 22 | 5:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Monday | Nov. 23 | 6:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Wednesday | Nov. 25 | 9:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Friday | Nov. 27 | 3:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Friday | Nov. 27 | 9:00 pm | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
| Saturday | Nov. 28 | 10:00 am | $60 | $20 | 3,000 | 15 min |
Need a bit more incentive? T.K., the Poker Room Manager, is offering a terrific Hollywood Casino Poker Tour hat ($20.00 value) to the first 250 players who sign up & play a satellite tournament.
There’s only one small catch – you must be wearing something of Tony Stewart #14! It can be Old Spice, Office Depot or Burger King but you need to show the 14! All players entered in the November 28 Texas Hold’em Tournament will receive this terrific hat – featuring HOLLYWOOD and WPT logos stitched in 6 thread colors! You’ll be able to trade off wearing your #14 hat & this Hollywood hat!
In August 2003, Tony Stewart established his charitable foundation. Deciding the mission of this foundation was fairly simple for this seasoned racer. Tony has a strong bond with children – especially those who are dealing with critical illness or disabilities. He also has a live long love for animals of all shapes & sizes. The Tony Stewart Foundation provides financial support to non-profit organizations that serve these children, animals and also drivers injured in motorsports activity.
Throughout the years, TSF has provided thousands of dollars to organizations serving abused, injured or endangered animals. Almost 200 separate organizations located in 41 of 50 states have directly benefitted from Tony and his philanthropy.
Proceeds from Smoke’s Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament will directly benefit a broad number of organizations serving animals. These could include humane societies, wild care facilities, breed rescue groups, or even hard-working K9 “officers”. Also, a percentage of the event proceeds will directly benefit equine welfare.
As a racer, Tony completely supports the mission of FFI. What happens when a horse can no longer race competitively? Organizations such as FFI insure that these athletes are reconditioned and retrained for their “second career” off the track. The Tony Stewart Foundation provides financial support for a group of thoroughbreds known affectionately as Tony’s ExRacers. Visit www.friendsofferdinand.org to be introduced to this group of 10 horses and to learn a bit more about FFI as an organization.
Since its start in the fall 2005, Friends of Ferdinand Inc. has experienced phenomenal growth and momentum. This all-volunteer group has implemented a Track-Listing program at Indiana Downs and Hoosier Park that in just 3 race seasons has helped place over 350 thoroughbreds into non-race homes. Thirty-seven (37) horses have entered into the FFI adoption program which is wholly supported by donations.
Sara Busbice, volunteer president of FFI, writes, “Our accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. Friends of Ferdinand has the support of Indiana's racing industry, Hoosier Park, Indiana Downs and has received national recognition and funding from Thoroughbred Charities of America, BlueHorse Charities and After the Finish Line. Our biggest grantor is Tony Stewart and we are forever grateful to him and his foundation staff for their support, friendship and guidance. I think it says something when NASCAR supports thoroughbred transitioning more than the race industry horsemen do.”
Annually new “ex-racers” will enter the FFI/Tony’s ExRacer program insuring that these athletes are “retired from racing not from life”.
Through the volunteers of FFI, over 350 horses have received a chance at a second career. As JoAnn Normile, the founder of CANTER once said, "You don't need a barn, truck or trailer to save a horse." Could be your call-to-action!
Fast cars. Fast thoroughbreds. Fast greyhounds. Found all in the world of racing. Like retired race horses, greyhounds hold a soft spot in Tony’s heart. From the time he flew “Rookie” home to Greyt Rescues, Tony was hooked on helping these athletes transition to new homes. There are greyhound race courses located throughout the world but when they are no longer able to perform, these outstanding dogs need homes and a purpose elsewhere. Worldwide there is an
extensive network -- more than 400 registered -- organizations dedicated to finding homes for these dogs. Tony applauds both staff and the innumerable volunteers who network to insure these dogs are placed as pets or even as special needs or ‘retirement’ companions. A percentage of the proceeds from Smoke’s Texas Hold’em will be awarded to selected greyhound rescue groups identified by TSF for their extensive outreach programs throughout the U.S.