Stewart opts out of IROC

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A visibly relaxed Tony Stewart had his first mass meeting with the media of the new year and dropped a few news items on the group, including some insight into his outside racing plans this season.

For the second straight year, the defending NASCAR Winston Cup champion -- coincidentally with an affiliation with a conflicting home improvement sponsorship -- has opted out of participating in the True Value International Race of Champions.

Stewart Tuesday announced that he would not compete in the 2003 IROC, following a lead established in 2002 when Jeff Gordon declined his invitation. Both drivers cited the rigors of defending the championship, with its additional scheduling issues, as the primary reason.

"I'm just trying to cut back," Stewart said. "Schedule-wise, I ran myself into the ground last year (and) I'm just trying to give myself a chance to get away and hit the re-set button."

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Neither Gordon, whose Winston Cup team that he owns with Rick Hendrick is sponsored by Lowe's nor Stewart, whose car that he drives for Joe Gibbs Racing is sponsored by The Home Depot, mentioned sponsor pressure in their decisions to decline their invitations.

"The Signore family has built a great series in IROC, and I know firsthand because I've been fortunate enough to have competed in IROC four times," Stewart said. "But with all that goes on during any given Winston Cup weekend, the time to focus on the main job -- driving the Home Depot Chevrolet -- becomes more and more valuable.

"I've never been a Winston Cup champion before and I want to do it right for my team, for my fellow competitors and for my fans."

Stewart did say, however, that his attitude and demeanor heading into his Winston Cup championship defense was "more relaxed" than he could ever claim; and that he would also not completely divest his schedule of all outside racing events.

To that effect, Stewart said he would leave Daytona Beach on Thursday to fly to Tulsa, Okla., to defend his title in the annual Chili Bowl Midget race car event.

"We pretty went through as miserable a year as you could have last year -- particularly the way it started out -- and still won a championship," Stewart said, citing the positive effects of the championship. "With that, I don't feel like there's anything I have to prove to anyone and I'm more relaxed than I've ever been.

"My goal is to have fun this year and if that ends up in leading to a championship, great."

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Stewart danced around committing to a definite number of events outside the Winston Cup Series.

"I'm going to cut into my fun time," Stewart said, "but by limiting my exposure to the bad things that can happen it will make my life, overall, better."

Stewart said he strives to not be any different than anyone else, except "I have a really cool job on the weekends." That's why, he said, he craves his trips such as the one to Tulsa.

"I'll be with guys that I raced with in 1994, '95 -- as far back as 1991 when I started in USAC," Stewart said. "Probably one in 10 will ask me how I ran in Daytona -- none of them will care.

"At least for a small period of time, I get treated just like everybody else and that's all I want to be. I'm not any different than anybody else in this room. I'm no different as a person -- we're all the same and I like being that way.

"I don't like being different than anybody else."

Stewart can't discount the difference winning nine championships in his racing career creates. One thing his success has done, though, is make him more forgiving of himself, and he said with that in mind he would not attempt the Indianapolis 500 while he was racing stock cars.

"I thought about it," Stewart said of the goal of winning Indy that was once a compulsion. "I decided before I left Homestead (2002 Winston Cup finale) I wouldn't do it again while I'm racing stock cars."

Stewart, again, cited his commitment to his Gibbs Racing team and crew chief Greg Zipadelli.

"As much as my heart wants to do it," Stewart said, "I made the decision that this is what I want to do -- I'm a stock car driver.

"I don't have to prove I can win that race. I've had a good career -- won an Indy car championship, the Winston Cup and swept three USAC championships in one season. A lot of guys haven't won it (Indy 500).

"I used to think there'd be a void if I didn't win it but I don't feel that way anymore."

Stewart's first IROC invitation came in 1998, after he won the Indy Racing League championship. He competed again in 2000 after he won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title in the Winston Cup Series.

His third appearance came in 2001, substituting for injured Indy car champion Gil de Ferran, and Stewart won the third round of the series, at Michigan International Speedway. He won last season's opener at Daytona International Speedway.