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NASCAR WCUP: Stewart satisfied with finish after late problems at Rockingham

23 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

TONY STEWART, NO. 20 HOME DEPOT PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

"Considering the problems we had at the end there - you can't be too disappointed to restart 18th and come back to pass 10 cars in the last 35 laps. The best part about it and the best part for us leaving here is that we had the fastest car that last 35 laps. We were breaking even or a tenth (of a second) faster than the leader according to the timer.

"I don't think the groove that I like to run here is the hot ticket anymore. I got to run on top a lot today and that's where the groove seems to be moving up to. The more I ran up there the more used to it I got. But I was still always just a little bit faster on the bottom.

"We just keep trying to learn and the next time we come back here I'll have a little more confidence about running the top for me to go up there and keep working on the car. After the first stop, I don't think we changed anything the whole day except for maybe a half a pound of air. We had a car that drove good. I just think my driving style and where I wanted to run on the racetrack probably hurt us a little bit, as far as not being in the best spot to be in today."

(ON BEING SO GOOD ON THE FINAL RUN) "That set of tires was one of the best sets we had all day, so that probably helped us more than anything. Being able to have one of the best sets we had be there right at the end when it counted helped us get back up into the top 10 and get us up to seventh. "We never give up. We've had cases where we've been a lap down and got our lap back and came back to the front, so we never give up - none of us do. Every one of us keeps giving 100 percent until they drop the checkered (flag) on the thing."

Text Provided By Al Larsen

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