AVONDALE, Ariz.
Tony Stewart won't win the Sprint Cup championship this season, and his bid to join the late Alan Kulwicki in the NASCAR record books will have to wait at least another year.
That won't change how he views his first season as owner of his own race team.
"I think it's hard to be disappointed, no matter where we end up," Stewart said yesterday at Phoenix International Raceway.
Stewart-Haas Racing made a strong start this season and had solidified itself as a title contender by May. As Stewart built a lead of 179 points through 26 races, he was in position to become the first owner/driver since Kulwicki in 1992 to win the championship.
As an added bonus, teammate Ryan Newman also grabbed one of the 12 berths in the Chase field.
But neither contended for the title. Stewart, who started the Chase seeded second, is currently fifth in the standings with two races remaining. Newman is ninth.
Regardless of where they stand after the finale at Homestead, Stewart said he will be pleased.
"Just by getting two cars in the Chase and winning the races we've won this year exceeded more than what any of you guys could have anticipated, and we could have anticipated," Stewart said. "We knew on paper that it was possible, but the reality of it was competing against great race teams every week. So to be able to accomplish this goal has been an awesome year for us."
Stewart is right in that few thought he would have success after leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, where he won two championships and 33 races, to become part owner of Haas CNC Racing. The team lagged behind in sponsorship and success.
But Stewart has had remarkable luck in landing sponsors -- he chalked it up yesterday to charm and the good looks of him and Newman -- and the increased money was the first step in building a winner.
His streak continued this weekend, when the U.S. Army said it would be back for 15 races as Newman's primary sponsor next season. Yesterday Stewart introduced Tornados, a brand of Ruiz Foods, as a five-race sponsor for Newman.
Tornados is new to NASCAR, a coup for any owner trying to bring in money during the current economic climate.
"This is a time when you don't see a lot of new groups coming into the sport," Stewart said.
Aside from sponsorship opportunities, Stewart's team offered a fresh start for crew members throughout the industry. He lured crew chiefs Darian Grubb from Hendrick Motorsports and Tony Gibson from Dale Earnhardt Inc. and a slew of first-rate mechanics and engineers. Stewart also grabbed Newman, who had spent several frustrating years with Penske Racing.
"We've done a lot of great things as an organization," Newman said. "We've done a lot of great things as drivers to get to where we are. For me personally, to make the big change ... didn't have any idea what to expect. Just knew that I wanted to go out there and have fun, and if we had fun, we were going to be successful one way or another."
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