CUP: Stewart Fourth At Australia's Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway

Sprint Cup

CUP: Stewart Fourth At Australia’s Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway

SceneDaily.com | Posted December 30, 2009 Charlotte, NC

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Tony Stewart finished sixth in the Sprint Car race at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway in Australia. (Photo: BAM Media)

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Tony Stewart finished fourth in the Hogs Breath Café International Sprint Car race at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway on Monday night.

Stewart finished two spots behind runnerup Donny Schatz, a four-time World of Outlaws champion who competes for Stewart in the World of Outlaws.

"I’ve got a good car to drive and a great teacher with Donny here, so I'm learning a little bit more each night and felt a lot more comfortable tonight compared to the first night I was here,” said Stewart. "The track was definitely a little difficult tonight, the weather over the last couple of days has really made the track a little trickier than what I'm used to. I'm not used to them being quite as ‘ledgey’ as it was and cars kind of banging the right rear off the cushion, but it makes it fun.

“You have to work hard at getting into a rhythm and make consistent laps. I felt like over the last 15 laps of tonight's main [event], I got a lot better and my lap times didn't fall off as much as the cars in front of me and I was making time.”

Stewart finished seventh in the previous night’s Valvoline Australian Sprint Car Grand Prix at Sydney’s Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway, where Schatz took the win.

“I'm learning a lot,” said Stewart, a two-time NASCAR Cup champion. "In saying that though, for a guy who only runs three or four Sprint Car races a year I've been pretty pleased with the last couple of nights."

Action resumes at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway on Saturday night with the Scott Darley Memorial race followed by the final night on Sunday.

Joining the American trio of Stewart, Schatz and Tim Shaffer at the event will be fellow American Jason Johnson and Australian drivers Brooke Tatnell, Robbie Farr, Max Dumesny and Ryan Farrell.

Stewart is driving a car fielded by Australian Sprint Car champion Garry Rush in each of the four events he’s running in Australia.

SceneDaily.com • What question would you ask Jimmie Johnson