Sprint Cup - Bowyer Putting Pressure On Stewart As The Bubble Boys Head To Bristol

Daytona, August 25, 2011: Bubbles can be pretty to behold but they’re also fragile and subject to burst at any time. That said, being on the bubble isn’t the place a race car driver wants to be.

And that’s where two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart finds himself heading to in Saturday’s Irwin Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway – 10th in the points standings with three races remaining before the field for the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is set.

Stewart, who finished ninth last weekend at Michigan International Speedway, expressed both frustration at a so-far winless season and wondered whether he even belongs among the elite field which will vie for this season’s championship.

If history is any indication, Stewart’s bubble won’t burst at Bristol, despite pressure from Clint Bowyer. Bowyer, in 11th, trails Stewart by 24 points.