DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As it continued to pour buckets Friday afternoon outside the media center at Daytona International Speedway, Tony Stewart commented on his own "bucket list."

And not surprisingly, victories in the two biggest oval races in the United States are the top two things on his checklist. And on Sunday, he once again has a good chance of crossing off one of those.

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This has, at times, been frustrating because we've been so close so many times. That's what makes -- if we ever do win it -- it so gratifying because we've worked so hard and been so close so many times.

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-- TONY STEWART

"Indy's the one that frustrates me the most that I haven't got," Stewart said. "But the good thing is, I still have opportunities here. I'm not going to have any more Indy 500 opportunities. That time has passed. So that's why that's frustrating.

"This has, at times, been frustrating because we've been so close so many times. That's what makes -- if we ever do win it -- it so gratifying because we've worked so hard and been so close so many times. And to finally accomplish that goal will make it even more special."

He's won three times at Daytona, all in the summertime 400-miler, but for some reason, he's been unable to seal the deal in February. He finished second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2004 and third to current teammate Ryan Newman in 2008.

So why doesn't Stewart, who has excelled at nearly everything he's ever raced, have a Harley Earl trophy on the mantle of his new home in Indiana? Stewart said it's the same reason why a 500 victory eluded some of the sport's greatest drivers, like Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt, for so long.

"It's just unpredictable, that's the hard part," Stewart said. "Especially with the restrictor plates. That's always thrown an extra element to it that brings guys to the front that may not always be able to get there during a typical race weekend. That's what makes it so hard to win here, because instead of a handful of guys who have the opportunity to win each week, you've got half the field -- if things go their way and they get in the right position and do the right things during the race -- can get themselves in position to win.

"That's what makes this hard. You can say somebody's the favorite, but there are so many variables here than at a typical race weekend that make that a different equation."

So can Stewart start Sunday's race with a game plan in place, knowing with whom he'd like to draft, or is it more of a 500-mile chess match in which improvisation is the key and you choose your dance partners as the situation permits?

"Definitely, it'll be more impromptu," Stewart said. "I feel like this year, more than ever. Where at Talladega, it used to be Dale Jr. and I would always get together, I don't think there's really is a scenario where you can even plan on those scenarios. Right now, I'm just trying to get my car driving good enough, let alone worrying about who I'm going to be around.

"My focus, until we get to Sunday at least, is trying to work some balance into my car, getting it to drive to where the longer I can get into the run, I can stay wide-open. That's my biggest focus right now, making it have a good enough balance to where I don't have to crack the throttle, because any time you do that, it's a big momentum-killer."

What's no longer in the equation, according to Stewart, is determining a drafting partner by manufacturer.

"All the cars are the same," Stewart said. "They just have different decals on the nose. So it really does throw that out of the equation. When we ran Pontiacs back in the day, with the spoilers and the deck lids, they all had different profiles on how the air came off those cars. That was a lot bigger factor."

It matters less that he lap the field or win by an eyelash. To Tony Stewart, winning the Daytona 500 is all that matters.

"I can get out in Victory Lane and my legs can be on fire and I'll be fine with it," Stewart said. "Just give me the trophy."

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