By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
November 17, 2002
8:40 PM EST (0140 GMT)
Photo Gallery: Stewart's title run
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - It took Tony Stewart only three questions into his NASCAR Winston Cup champion's interview Sunday evening to bring into perfect perspective why he might be one of the best champions ever -- and certainly better than anyone's expected.
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| Tony Stewart celebrates his first Winston Cup title. Credit: Autostock |
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"Like I've said every year since I got here, you learn as you go," Stewart said. "I still don't agree with everything that NASCAR does, but the things that they do, they do for a reason -- that's what's made NASCAR what it is right now.
"You know what -- I'm a race car driver and I don't have to understand everything they do. I don't have to agree with everything they do. I just have to abide by the rules.
"It's like I've always said, you never get an instructional video, they don't give you a freshman pamphlet saying, 'This is what your life is going to be like -- this is how you do things, this is what is going to happen to you in the garage area.'
"None of that is explained to you -- none of that is taught to you. It is trial and error, and Lord knows I've had enough trials and errors, and more errors than trials. But, as you go, you learn.
"All those things that we've learned in the past didn't contribute to winning the championship. But, it makes winning a championship a lot more enjoyable when you start figuring out the rest of it along with it."
Stewart had learned enough to dodge disaster on two restarts with less than 40 laps remaining and clinched his first Winston Cup championship by finishing 18th in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
 | THE THRILL OF VICTORY |  | The highlights of Tony Stewart's championship season: |
| | | | | • | Finished first in the point standings, earning his first Winston Cup championship and becoming the only driver to win the title while on NASCAR probation. Did it despite a last-place finish in the Daytona 500, which put him in 43rd in the standings at the start of the season. Rallied in the week after he punched a photographer in Indianapolis to win at Watkins Glen. |
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The championship was the ninth of Stewart's racing career, the third NASCAR title for crew chief Greg Zipadelli and the second Winston Cup title in three years for team owner Joe Gibbs, who won in 2000 with Bobby Labonte.
Stewart credited his crew, particularly Zipadelli, for fixing that, but even more, for ensuring the championship.
"None of us could have done it without the whole group," Stewart said. "This was a team effort this year. I'm not saying anything that you don't normally hear from everybody else's race teams, but I don't think you guys realize what all went into winning this championship this year and how hard it was.
"Zippy played multiple roles. He wasn't just a crew chief all year. He had to be a crew chief, a babysitter/best friend and a huge leader. Zippy held this team together single-handedly and kept everybody motivated and focused on what we had to do and we couldn't have done it without him."
Neither Stewart nor Mark Martin, who came into the race 89 points behind in second, managed to lead a lap in the 267-lap event on the flat, 1.5-mile oval.
| THE AGONY OF DEFEAT |  | The lowlights of Tony Stewart controversial year: |
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"We never gave up," Stewart said. "I went into this race (ad) I honestly thought I had a shot to win. I didn't realize we were as bad as we were -- it was just that the car didn't like being in traffic."
And that's where he was all day. Stewart dodged disaster on two restarts with less than 40 laps remaining and clinched his first Winston Cup championship by finishing 18th Sunday in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Martin second in standings for fourth time in 13 seasons
But Martin was only able to finish fourth, gaining 51 points. He moved up at the finish and ended up 38 points behind. It gained him his fourth second place finish in the points since 1990.
That year, Martin's Roush Racing team was penalized 46 points and lost the championship by 26. Saturday, the National Stock Car Racing Commission denied Roush's appeal of a 25-point penalty issued three weeks ago, but it would not have made a difference this time.
"I can't remember 1990," Martin said. "I think this may have been the greatest battle ever, for me and the people around me, for 36 races this season (but) I can't predict what will happen next season. I may not end up in the top-10."
On Sunday, he was not totally disappointed.
"What an effort, man -- we gave it everything we had," Martin said. "Those guys were just a little bit stronger than us. We came from the back of the pack and wrestled ill handling all day."
Stewart, who had swore he would try to win, ended up never having a shot, but it was not for lack of trying. The effort of the day, and the season, overcame his crew chief, Greg Zipadelli, who was in tears following the checkered flag.
"It's been a long year," said Zipadelli, who won the 1998 Busch North championship and 1987 Featherlite Modified title. "It's been a tough year -- up and down -- but this makes it all worth it."
NASCAR crown added to Stewart's 1997 Indy-car title
The finish, however, secured Stewart's sixth major series championship since 1994 -- but by far the most prestigious. Stewart won his first national championship in 1994, when he claimed the USAC Midget title.
The next season, Stewart swept USAC's "triple crown" -- winning championships in the Midget, Silver Crown and Sprint Car divisions.
After winning the IRL Rookie of the Year title in 1996, Stewart won that Indy car division's championship in 1997. The year before he had started making inroads into NASCAR, running in the Busch Series with Ranier Walsh Racing.
Stewart has some close calls at Homestead
Stewart's closest escape came only two laps after a restart at lap 234, when John Andretti blew the engine in his Dodge going into Turn 3.
Stewart was behind Andretti and had to drive to the apron, while other drivers were trapped high, including Robby Gordon, who spun his Cingular Chevrolet after popping through the smokescreen created by Andretti's problem.
On the restart from that cleanup, Stewart was caught in a three-wide run through Turns 3 and 4, when Ricky Rudd passed Jason Leffler in the bottom groove while Stewart was caught on the high side.
Stewart, at the beginning of his racing career, won three karting championships. He won a 1987 World Karting Association national championship and a 1983 International Karting Federation Grand National championship. He won the 1980 4-cycle Rookie Junior championship at the Columbus (Ind.) Fairgrounds.
Second WInston Cup championship for Joe Gibbs
The championship was Gibbs' fifth sports title, to go with NFL Super Bowl championships in 1983, 1988 and 1992 with the Washington Redskins.
Gibbs began his NASCAR career in 1992 with driver Dale Jarrett. He expanded to two teams in 1999, Stewart's rookie season.
Stewart made note of the honor he felt at joining a select roster as the 25th Winston Cup champion in NASCAR's 54-year history.
"I think the coolest part about this whole thing is that I finally did something that (A.J.) Foyt didn't do," Stewart said. "Most people don't realize but the first Indy car I ever drove was (in a test) for A.J. at Phoenix (and) it was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life.
"But it was one of the best experiences of my life, too. The relationship I built with A.J. that week will last a lifetime with him and I. I never got beat up as bad verbally as I did with A.J. for five days.
"His favorite comment, when I was proud of something I did, was 'Just check the record books, big boy.' Well you're damn right, A.J - check the record books (now)!
"He may have won Daytona (500) and he may have won Indy -- but he hasn't won an Indy car championship and a (NASCAR) stock car championship. I finally got one up on the old man."
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