NNS: Stewart Always Stellar At Daytona

Nationwide

NNS: Stewart Always Stellar At Daytona

Tony Stewart has been nearly unstoppable in Nationwide Series outings at Daytona...

Jared Turner | Posted June 29, 2011 Charlotte, NC

Tony Stewart celebrates his Nationwide Series win at Daytona in February 2010. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

A run of dominance at the same track over an extended period of time is a rare feat these days in NASCAR.

There are, of course, occasional exceptions.

One of the most notable ones in recent times is Tony Stewart’s mastery of all matters pertaining to Nationwide Series racing at Daytona International Speedway.

Stewart, a Sprint Cup Series regular who typically makes only a handful of Nationwide starts each year, has won in each of his last four Nationwide appearances at the World Center of Racing.

Stewart’s last two triumphs – in the 2010 and 2011 Nationwide season openers – came with Kevin Harvick Inc., the organization he’ll join again for Friday night’s Subway Jalapeno 250 at DIS.

Stewart’s No. 9 KHI team this weekend will utilize the same chassis that he took to victory lane at Daytona in February.

It’s thus not surprising that the two-time Sprint Cup Series champion brings a rather hefty dose of confidence into Friday night’s event – one expected to closely resemble 2011 Daytona Speedweeks where two-car drafting tandems were the order of the day.

Stewart credits the cars supplied by KHI owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick for helping make his incredible Daytona success possible.

“I think it's because of the attention to detail that Kevin and DeLana put into their race cars,” Stewart said. “You see it in their Truck Series program. You see it in their Nationwide Series program. They just do everything first class. I always have the confidence when I get in one of their cars that I'm in just as competitive a car as I could be with any other organization out there. They're first class, and that's the kind of group that you want to be with when you do a one-off race like this.”

Even in non-KHI equipment, Stewart has proven to be a bear to handle in Nationwide Series outings at Daytona. The veteran driver has recorded a mindboggling six victories in 11 total Nationwide starts at the 2.5-mile track.

He claimed the first two in 2005 and 2006 in a KHI Chevy, followed by one for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 and another for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009.

Stewart also has an average finish of 7.5 and has led 180 laps over his Nationwide appearances at Daytona.

And it seems that no matter which car or team he’s aligned with, Stewart is the guy on top when it counts.

“I have a lot of confidence in our team here at KHI, and I believe the equipment that we are bringing for Tony will allow him to run out front,” said crew chief Bruce Cook, who will call the shots for Stewart on Friday night. “I don't know if there is a better combination for success than heading back with the winning chassis and driver.”

Stewart will be one of four KHI entries in a field that will also include Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Elliott Sadler in team cars. Having a dancing partner in the closing laps figures to be key to victory.

In February, Stewart hooked up with Landon Cassill and got just the shove he needed to move out front in crunch time.

Tony Stewart drove the No. 4 KHI Chevy to victory at Daytona this past February. (Photo: Getty Images)

Stewart may need an assist from a KHI team car this time.

“We'll have three great teammates with us there to draft with, and I hope that will allow us to be up front at the end,” Cook said.

Stewart, for his part, is gearing up to go gunning for a fifth straight Nationwide win at Daytona.

“You have that confidence. You don't worry about anything,” he said. “You know that they're giving you the best equipment that you can get in that series. It's always fun. It's fun to drive for one of your good friends like Kevin and DeLana, but at the same time knowing that they've got really good race cars just tops it all off."

Can Tony Stewart make it five straight Nationwide Series wins at Daytona? Add a comment below.

Jared Turner is an Associate Editor for SPEED.com, covering NASCAR and Formula One, and is an Editor for TruckSeries.com. His professional motorsports writing career began in 2005.