“I want those guys to see that we’ve got strength,” he said. “I think it’s an advantage to do that at this point of the game, showing that guys around you are going to hopefully want to be around you, and know that you’ve got a car that can stay up there, so they want to stay with you.”
By JENNA FRYER
Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Tony Stewart has had plenty of chances to win the Daytona 500, and he’s had his heart broken every time.
Stewart wound up on his roof in 2001, and his engine blew in the opening laps of the 2002 race. He finished second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2004, and wrecked while leading in 2007.
The most difficult defeat was likely 2008, when Ryan Newman was pushed past Stewart on the last lap to snatch away the victory. Last year, Stewart was second on the final restart but faded to a 13th-place finish as rookie Trevor Bayne pulled off the upset.
The race is such a crapshoot that one of the Daytona 500 rookies, Danica Patrick, has said she believes she’s got as good a chance to win the race as anyone.
“I felt comfortable. I feel more than ready for (today),” said Patrick, who walked away from a violent crash in Thursday’s qualifying race.
Her car is owned by Stewart, the defending NASCAR champion who goes into today’s season-opening Daytona 500 with a disappointing 0-for-13 record in “The Great American Race.” Stewart has been reminded every day since arriving in Daytona about his inability to win the big race here.
“It’s not a good feeling to not have that tally in the win column,” Stewart said. “Everything else we have pretty much accomplished in this sport that we want to accomplish. It’s the biggest race of the year. Everyone wants to win that race. I won’t say that it is not a complete career if you don’t win it, but there is a lot of priority on this.”
He has a tremendous opportunity once again.
Stewart, who closed last season with five victories in the final 10 races to win his third NASCAR title, has given no indication he’s slowed down one bit during over the offseason. He lost the exhibition Budweiser Shootout last week when Kyle Busch passed him at the finish line, but rallied to dominate his qualifying race on Thursday.
The victory in the 150-mile race gave Stewart the third starting spot in the Daytona 500. And unlike years past, when he’s hung around the back of the pack and waited to make his move, he’s given every indication he wants to race hard Sunday.
His performance during SpeedWeeks, he believes, has made him the driver everyone should want to work with on the race track.
“I want those guys to see that we’ve got strength,” he said. “I think it’s an advantage to do that at this point of the game, showing that guys around you are going to hopefully want to be around you, and know that you’ve got a car that can stay up there, so they want to stay with you.”