Tony Stewart: "Two years ago I wouldn't have had this same attitude at this point in the season if I hadn't won a race yet." Credit: Autostock

Stewart: Gibbs' stable making noticeable gains

SONOMA, Calif. -- Tony Stewart's losing streak in the Nextel Cup Series quietly reached 29 races last weekend.

Yes. That's a career high.

	Inside the Numbers Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005 Driver W T-5 T-10 Avg. B. Labonte 0 1 3 24.1 J. Leffler 0 0 0 28.9 T. Stewart 0 4 7 15.2 FedEx PreviewNBC/TNT's Marty Snider previews all the action at Infineon Sign up for TrackPass now and earn Fan Miles BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Yes. He knows Roush and Hendrick have found something that his team hasn't found yet.

No. He's not worried. He's nearly won a handful of times already this year and he says Joe Gibbs Racing finally is starting to make some gains.

It also doesn't hurt that he's more comfortable than ever at the Sonoma road course, where he has a win (2001) and a pole (2002).

"This is a race where we can get back on track," said Stewart, whose last win came at Watkins Glen in August 2004. "Obviously, I want to win the race, but if we can get a top-five, that would make our team happy."

Stewart is sixth in the point standings, but he needs a telescope to see leader Jimmie Johnson, who looms 311 points ahead.

But Stewart knows that large lead won't matter much when the Chase for the Nextel Cup begins, and he said the team is starting to make a dent in the Roush/Hendrick stranglehold.

Stewart finished second at Michigan -- he's still shaking his head how he didn't win after getting four fresh tires on the final pit stop -- but the real story might have been hidden.

His teammates, Bobby Labonte and Jason Leffler, both ran considerably better at Michigan after some of Stewart's test data was transferred to their cars.

"I think it's the first time all year -- other than a restrictor-plate track -- that all three finished on the lead lap together," Stewart said. "It's tough when one is running good and the other two aren't. We'll be able to close that gap and work together better as a team."

Joe Gibbs Racing will have another two weeks to work on their downforce package. After this weekend's Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, the next race is the Pepsi 400, the season's third plate race.

But Stewart says he isn't obsessed with ending the losing streak, mainly because only two other non-Roush/Hendrick drivers have been able to win this season.

"It's a different era in NASCAR. Two years ago I wouldn't have had this same attitude at this point in the season if I hadn't won a race yet," Stewart said. "I don't feel like it's something I am doing personally.

"Hopefully this is one of those [races] where we don't have to worry about chasing those nine cars."