Different Car, Same Result for Stewart

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —  America’s most versatile driver showed again Friday how he can win driving anything with four wheels.

It’s only February, but already this year Tony Stewart has won in a Winston Cup stock car, a midget, a sprint car, and Friday, in an International Race of Champions’ Pontiac Firebird.

It was Stewart’s second win at Daytona International Raceway this week, having won the Budweiser Shootout in Joe Gibbs’ Pontiac last Sunday. He also finished second to Michael Waltrip in a Twin 125 qualifying race Thursday for Sunday’s Daytona 500, in which he will start sixth.

In Friday’s 40-lap IROC, Stewart followed Al Unser Jr. for 17 laps before making his move to the front with two laps remaining. He was helped by a drafting push from Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr.

Unser, unemployed at the time except for his IROC ride, displayed his old talents by holding the lead for 23 laps.

Said Stewart: “It was fun today; it’s always fun when you know you’re racing with 11 other cars that are just as even as yours and it’s up to you to do your job behind the steering wheel.”

In a race usually dominated by NASCAR drivers, the open-wheel drivers from the IRL, Hornish and Scott Sharp, finished second and third. After giving up the lead to hold off Stewart, Unser slipped to fifth.

The second IROC will be at California Speedway on April 27.

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Shav Glick