Daytona 500 2000 - Super sophomore will challenge for championship

Super sophomore will challenge for championship
ESPN The Magazine

'99 EARNINGS: $2,615,226 | POINTS: 4th | WINS: 3 | TOP 5: 12 | TOP 10: 21

TONY STEWART

What Makes Him Go: Tony Stewart races not for fame or fortune -- although they're nice, too -- but for the rush. He double-dipped at the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 last May 30, and finished in the top 10 in both. At Talladega last October, he spent his Friday night banging with the locals on the red clay of the nearby Talladega Short Track. Any Cup regular who loves to race that much is bound for success.
What Makes Him Slow: Three things, namely temper, temper and temper. The fire that fuels Stewart's passion to race can be volcanic. When adversity strikes, he can turn boorish, petulant and/or downright nasty. He sulked off without comment following his finish at New Hampshire. On a caution lap after Irwin wrecked him at Martinsville, Stewart reached inside his adversary's slow-moving car in an attempt to throttle him. He was lucky to walk away unhurt.
Key Stat: 1 DNF The only 1999 Winston Cup race that Stewart failed to finish was at New Hampshire in June, when he ran out of gas after finishing 198 of 200 laps. Even so, he finished ninth in that race. In the contest for the Winston Cup championship, DNFs hurt a driver more than victories help.

Rookie of the Year? How about Rookie of any Year.

After what Tony Stewart did last season -- first since Davey Allison in 1987 to win a race his maiden year, best finish ever in Winston Cup points (fourth) for a first-timer -- NASCAR ought to come up with a brand new award for the guy.

Rookie of the Last Millennium?

And it's not just what he did, but how he did it. The 28-year-old NASCAR neophyte demonstrated the tensile strength and laser-beam intensity of a veteran master.

He was ruthless at Michigan in a mano a mano with Jeff Burton, who ended up in the wall. He was technically skillful at New Hampshire, where he dominated the race before running out of gas with three laps to go. He was explosive after crashing at Martinsville, where he hurled his heel pads at the hapless Kenny Irwin, a longtime open-wheel foe who has struggled like a normal newcomer in Winston Cup.

Two years ago, Stewart was nothing special in the Busch Series, his first go-around in a stock car since defecting from the IRL. But last season he blossomed instantly in the more powerful Winston Cup cars.

Most drivers struggle at first with the extra horsepower; Stewart needed it to excel. But what's truly impressive is how he has learned to pace himself and protect his equipment during NASCAR's long races.

After his first win, at Richmond last September, he set a record for stating the obvious: "It's been more than I dreamed of in a rookie season."

Stewart's key to realizing his farfetched dream was cementing a strong bond with car owner Joe Gibbs and rookie crew chief, Greg Zipadelli.

"We all just got into the deal and acted like we'd known each other all our lives," Stewart said. "I've been racing 20 years, and I know the chemistry has to be there for the team to gel."

It doesn't hurt that Gibbs is a born leader and has one of NASCAR's finest operations. His "shop" in Huntersville, N.C. looks more like a small convention center and may be the finest in the sport.

Stewart's debut has sparked hope in the hearts of a raft of open-wheel drivers -- including Scott Pruett and Robby Gordon from CART -- who are flocking to Winston Cup. They will almost certainly struggle, the way Irwin has. And while they beat and bang in the back, Stewart will be sidling up to Jeff Gordon's stall for the first great NASCAR rivalry of the new century.

The 2000 season, in fact, may set up perfectly for Stewart's first championship.

Last year, the Pontiac was arguably the best of the three makes of stock cars. This year, with Ford and Chevy unveiling new models, Stewart's Pontiac may give him an edge on having the greatest sophomore season in NASCAR history.

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