Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers and Kurt Busch present autographs to Jason Barbosa, 7, as they visit the Staten Island University Hospital Pediatric Burn Unit on Tuesday. Credit: AP

Stewart works out at firefighter academy

NEW YORK -- As Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart continued his busy slate of media interviews, appearances and social functions in New York, the rest of the Nextel Cup Top 10 drivers arrived in the city and joined Stewart in Tuesday's activities.

A highlight of the schedule was a visit to the FDNY New York Fire Academy in Manhattan.

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Stewart met the probationary officers, who are still undergoing training and affectionately dubbed "probys" by their fellow firefighters. Stewart also participated in a few training exercises, led by FDNY Fitness Instructor Lt. Mike Cacciola.

Earlier, Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers attended a fundraising event for the Staten Island University Hospital's Pediatric Burn Center.

Witnessing the intensive training exercises at the fire academy and spending time with the burn center's youngest patients provided a day of reflection for NASCAR's biggest stars.

"It's unbelievable, I have to pinch myself everyday," Edwards said. "To be able to do what we're doing and to be in New York City, taking the helicopter over Manhattan, it's just unreal. I got to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time. This whole thing is just unreal to me. I'm glad to be here."

For Busch, who was the center of attention as the 2004 champion, Tuesday's trip brought back fond memories of his own Champion's Week experience.

"I'm able to enjoy things a bit better this year," Busch said. "It gives me a vision and a memory of what it meant last year to win the championship. These great people in Staten Island, and just to make the hospital visit, that's something I didn't get the chance to do last year. Every time I get the chance to come to New York as a top 10 driver, I'll enjoy it."

AWARDS CEREMONY •   Grand Ballroom, The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City.  •   7-10:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 2.  •   TNT, 9 p.m. ET -- MRN/XM Satellite Radio  •   Special Guest: Jay Mohr  •   Musical Entertainment: Singers Toni Braxton and Gavin DeGraw; Jazz pianist Eric Lewis

On Wednesday, the schedule continues with several key events:

The "NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Victory Lap presented by Sprint" is the second running of this unique event, which was first staged in 2004. The top 10 drivers will get in uniform and drive their show cars across town.

The route begins at Rockefeller Center, cutting through Times Square and several side streets before driving up 375 Park Avenue to the finish line in front of NASCAR's New York office.

The event will be televised live on the Today show on NBC, where hosts Anne Curry and Al Roker will join in the festivities. Curry will ride shotgun in Tony Stewart's show car, while Roker will give the command for drivers to start their engines and begin their memorable ride.

The Today show's coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET with the Victory Lap scheduled to roll off at 9:15. Fan viewing areas are setup between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue (on the south side), between 46th Street and 47th Street (on the west side), at Bryant Park between 5th and 6th Avenues and between 47th and 48th (on the east side).

TUNE IN NASCAR Radio on XM Satellite Radio is broadcasting live from The Waldorf-Astoria, through 4 p.m. ET Friday.  Host Claire B. Lang will report on each day's events and feature exclusive interviews with the top-10 drivers and other personalities.  MRN Radio will also broadcast live from New York, including live coverage of the awards ceremony Friday.  SPEED Channel will air a special "NASCAR Takes Manhattan" show live, beginning at 7 p.m. ET Friday.

NASCAR president Mike Helton and Jimmie Johnson will join NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France at the 22nd Annual Greater New York March of Dimes Sports Luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Johnson, who finished fifth in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup and is attending Champion's Week in New York for the fourth consecutive year, will present France with the March of Dimes' Sports Leadership Award.

Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield will head to Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. for NASCAR Night at the Nets presented by Pocono Raceway.

The drivers will be treated to front row seats and be honored at halftime of Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Four Nets fans will be invited courtside to receive an autograph from one of the drivers, 25 fans will receive a NASCAR-licensed Nextel phone and four fans will receive tickets to a 2006 Nextel Cup event at Pocono Raceway.