Incessant health questions irk Stewart
AVONDALE, ARIZ. — Tony Stewart came back from a broken right leg at the Daytona 500 still not fully healed, yet able to race.
By the time he arrived at Phoenix International Raceway, he also was annoyed — at all the questions about his health.
“I’ll be honest, I’ll be more happy when everybody quits asking me how I feel,” Stewart said.
“I’m not 100 per cent. I’m not going to be 100 per cent for a while.”
The same could be said of his team after a disappointing start to the season at the Daytona 500 last weekend. Stewart crashed out of the exhibition Sprint Unlimited and struggled with engine issues at the Great American Race, finishing 35th.
Danica Patrick was strong early, leading laps for the second straight year, but got tangled in a late-race crash and finished 40th.
Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick, the two newest members of Stewart-Haas Racing, were in position for good finishes, but had troubles at the end of the race. Busch finished 21st and Harvick hit the pitroad wall head-on on the final crash of the race to finish 13th.
Stewart and the rest of his team are hoping to bounce back quickly at Phoenix, particularly with a new championship format that makes it important to finish races.
Busch will have the best starting position for SHR in Sunday’s race in 10th and Harvick is two rows back at 13th. Stewart will start 20th and Patrick will go off 33rd.