Tony Stewart will start 18th on Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Credit: Autostock

Stewart a comfortable 18th at Pocono quals

LONG POND, Pa. -- It is a common NASCAR axiom that a 28th-place car is much more physically difficult to drive than a fifth-place car.

Joe Gibbs Racing is following that rule to the letter this weekend at Pocono Raceway. Its goal was to give the injured Tony Stewart a car featuring an emphasis on comfort.

Tony Stewart climbs into his car on Friday. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Pocono 500 Qualifying Results Pos. Driver Speed Time 1. D. Hamlin 169.639 53.054 2. Ku. Busch 169.485 53.102 3. K. Kahne 169.011 53.251 4. B. Vickers 168.792 53.320 5. J. Burton 168.505 53.411 6. J. Gordon 168.281 53.482 7. G. Biffle 168.256 53.490 8. J. McMurray 168.168 53.518 9. Ky. Busch 168.026 53.563 10. J. Johnson 167.958 53.585         18. T. Stewart 166.988 53.896 • Complete Lineup, click here • 1st Practice Speeds, click here Back to workTony Stewart turns a fast lap at Pocono qualifying Garage PassTony Stewart says he will tough it out at Pocono Weekend weatherCNN/Headline News forecasts the weekend's weather Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

So far, the team has done exactly that. Stewart said the car was easy to drive in practice and qualifying, and he has no doubt that he will drive all 200 laps on Sunday.

"If I know I don't have anyone here [to drive in relief], that makes it easier to stay in the car," Stewart said. "I honestly don't think we are going to have any problems."

Pocono marks the second race since Stewart suffered a shoulder injury, and the injured bone is improving with each passing day.

Stewart was 12th-quickest in the lone Friday practice and went on to qualify 18th for the Pocono 500.

"I am still a little sore in the car," said Stewart, who was relieved by Ricky Rudd after just 39 laps at Dover.

"I didn't have any problems in the practice. Every day, [the injury] is making huge, huge steps. By Sunday we will be just fine."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows what Stewart is going through. He got out of the car at Loudon in July 2004 after suffering severe burns in a non-NASCAR practice crash at Infineon Raceway.

"I got out because the car was handling so bad," Earnhardt said. "I was like, 'If this is going to drive this bad, I might as well get out.' It wasn't bothering me that bad."

Fortunately for Stewart, Pocono is not one of the more physically demanding tracks on the schedule. Its 500-mile race distance typically leads to four-hour races, but the long straightaways allow the drivers to relax twice a lap.

"If there was a race that he could stick it out, this is one of them tracks," Earnhardt said. "Even at 80 percent, he is still better than half these guys out here."

Stewart has already made adjustments to the seat inside his racecar. His old seat was an exceptionally tight fit for Stewart, who joked that the seat worked fine when he was younger.

"We got re-measured [for a seat] on Monday and got a newer version than what we have been running, " Stewart said. "It is a safer seat and the measurements are more accurate than what I was 30 pounds ago and five years ago.

"It definitely fits a lot better and it is a lot more comfortable."