Stewart Ends Slide, Rift With Hamlin
Tony Stewart is a winner again.
And one day after a brief but intense lecture from Joe Gibbs, Tony Stewart says his rift with teammate Denny Hamlin has been patched.
Tony Stewart won the Nextel Cup USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., on Sunday, breaking a 20-race winless streak and turning around what had otherwise been a tumultuous week for the two-time series champion.
Between the bad breaks that cost him possible victories earlier in the year and last week's high-profile feud with Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart seemed more relieved than elated by the victory - though he still managed to climb the front stretch fence in celebration.
The Nextel Cup series is off next weekend, and Tony Stewart can't wait.
"You have no idea how glad I am to have the week off," Tony Stewart said.
Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart spent the week trading barbs in the media after the two teammates wrecked at Daytona International Speedway last week. The situation became ugly enough for team owner Gibbs to take a last-minute detour from a planned vacation and come to the track on Saturday to gather Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin for a hastily arranged meeting.
"The good part is, it was fairly short, because Joe can get long-winded sometimes," Tony Stewart said. "But it was a great meeting. That's Joe Gibbs' strength, he knows how to motivate people and he knows how to keep a team atmosphere."
Gibbs was not at the track Sunday, but his son, team president J.D. Gibbs, said Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin got a glimpse of how Gibbs handles his football team instead of the more laid-back demeanor the coach usually carries through the NASCAR garage area.
"He was a little more intense yesterday then he normally is in the racing world," Gibbs said.
Tony Stewart said he and Denny Hamlin worked well on the track Sunday, using hand signals to communicate strategies during the race.
And, for the first time in a long time, Tony Stewart finished the day in victory lane.
It didn't hurt that Tony Stewart's strongest competitor, Jimmie Johnson, hit the wall with 45 laps remaining after his tire suddenly went flat.
Johnson walked away without any serious injuries beyond a sore elbow, but it left his car mangled and ruined his chance at a victory.
"We were definitely going to try hard," Johnson said. "We had a good shot at it."
Tony Stewart's last victory was Nov. 5, 2006, at Texas Motor Speedway.
Dixon wins Firestone Indy 200: Scott Dixon dipped to the inside and drove past points leader Dario Franchitti and Dan Wheldon on lap 88, then ran away with the Firestone Indy 200 in Gladeville, Tenn., for his second straight IndyCar victory. He also became the first driver to repeat at Nashville Superspeedway.
"I trust Dario, a great competitor and a very fair guy to race with," Dixon said. "I knew if I was inside of him, he was going to give me the room. Dan didn't even know I was there. Luckily, he gave us the room we needed to. It was a little hairy there for a few seconds."
Dixon, who also won last week at Watkins Glen, became the 14th driver with consecutive IndyCar wins.
