Stewart feeling no pressure

Tony Stewart believes he enters the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title decider with the least pressure and claims he has nothing to lose in the season finale at Homestead.

The two-time Cup champion ranks only three points behind his Roush Fenway rival, having only led the standings for a week during the Chase following an impressive run during the play-off, albeit not as consistent as Edwards'.

After carrying big points leads into the last races of his title-winning seasons in 2002 and '05, Stewart says he feels no pressure this time around as he only has the potential to move up in the standings if he beats Edwards by at least three points.

"The only part this week that's concerned me and that I've been worried about is the fact that I haven't been nervous about it," said Stewart. "In 2002 and 2005 we had big leads but you were still nervous about it because you knew it could get away.

"We didn't think that we would be in the Chase to begin with. It's taken a lot of that pressure off. We're not trying to overcome a big deficit, we're right there, right behind him... We don't have anything to lose.

"We can throw everything we've got at it and if we make a mistake doing it, doesn't cost us. There's no penalty for us if we screw up. With that it takes every ounce of pressure away.

"It's a dangerous combination to put us in that kind of mode."

Stewart says he is ready to do what it takes to win the contest if it comes down to a head-to-head battle on the last lap with Edwards. If Stewart wins Sunday's race he would beat the Roush driver to the title regardless of where he finishes, even if Edwards leads the most laps.

"I'll wreck my mom to win a championship," said Stewart. "I'll wreck your mom to win a championship. I respect [Edwards] as a driver but this is not about friendships this weekend.

"This is a war, this is a battle. This is for a national championship. It's no old spar this weekend. I didn't come this far to be one step away from it and let it slip away. We're going to go for it."

Earlier this week fellow Chevrolet driver Kevin Harvick said he would be willing to help Stewart win the title if he had the chance. However, Stewart said he hopes team-mates or allies do not become a factor in the championship fight, although he did not rule out that possibility.

"It shouldn't be about team orders," said Stewart. "We saw a hint of it last week [at Phoenix], the #16 car [Roush Fenway's Greg Biffle] picked a pit right in front of us. We never had an issue with it. But you know that that can happen.

"Like we say, we're racing for a national championship, so we are prepared that if something develops along the line, we have a counter-measure for the same thing.

"You want to win this thing straight up. You want to win it because you did a better job than he did, not because somebody else got involved in the equation. That will take away from it."

Stewart could potentially become the first driver to win titles in the Winston, Nextel and Sprint Cup eras of NASCAR's premier series, as well as the first driver/owner to claim a Cup title since Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

Edwards 'ready' for title

Carl Edwards says he feels ready to become a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion at Homestead on Sunday and does not believe his experience deficit relative to title rival Tony Stewart is crucial heading into the season finale.

Roush Fenway racer Edwards has led the drivers' standings for the majority of the season, including six of the last nine weeks of the Chase. Although he has only won once during the season he has remained the most consistent throughout the year, resulting in his best shot ever at winning a Cup title.

A former Nationwide Series champion, Edwards believes he is in position to win the Cup title next weekend and does not see how Stewart's previous two titles can make him any stronger on the track.

"I don't know any part of that trophy that makes the car go any faster this Sunday," said Edwards. "To me it's about going and performing this Sunday and we'll just see what happens. When this thing is over, it's like Tony said: Whoever wins the other guy is going to be the first to go up and shake his hand and say good job.

"It doesn't mean we're happy about it but we're going to see what happens on Sunday. I feel good about it."

Although Stewart would have to win Sunday's race to guarantee the championship regardless of where Edwards finishes, the Roush Fenway racer says he will race for victory at Homestead as he expects Stewart to do exactly the same. He believes the title may end up being decided by either of them winning the finale.

"It's pretty simple," said Edwards. "It is three points so unless I am two positions behind him, we have to go out and beat him. To me, what I am going to do is go in that race and race as hard as I possibly can and if at the end it is close and I know I can make something happen then I will make something happen.

"Otherwise I am going to race as hard as I can and it doesn't do me any good to pay attention to anyone else."

Edwards has twice been in close contention for the Cup title but ended up losing to Stewart in 2005 and then in '08 to outgoing champion Jimmie Johnson. He says the experience of having lost twice has prepared him to grab this opportunity with both hands.

"I feel like I have been through all of it," Edwards said. "I have lost the championship two different times. In 2005 if I could go back again I feel like I would have won. Same with 2008. I have seen how to lose them and now all that is left is go out here and apply those things and hopefully it is enough. I feel like those things are money in the bank."

If Edwards goes on to win the title but does not win the season finale, he would be the first driver in the Chase's history to become champion without winning during the play-off.

NASCAR working on tandem drafts

Drivers and NASCAR officials say they are still looking for ways to limit tandem racing at restrictor plate tracks following a Sprint Cup Series test at Daytona on Tuesday.

Six drivers ran on the 2.5-mile high banks trying different restrictor plates, spoilers and suspension settings among other possible solutions as NASCAR hopes to at least limit the two-car drafting that has prevailed this year both at the Florida track and Talladega.

Officials evaluated different combinations to try to make the technique less effective, including larger plates which made cars break the psychologically significant 200mph average barrier.

Dale Earnhardt Jr, who has voiced his dislike for the tandem technique a number of times, was one of those running at Daytona but admitted no definite solution was found. He believes the answer to what NASCAR is trying to do is "in the past" and conceded it will be very hard to get rid of tandems, although he hopes NASCAR finds a way to avoid it being essential to winning at plate venues.

"I know that [NASCAR] would like to have the pack racing we used to have," said Earnhardt. "I will say, too, that NASCAR and the drivers are all in agreement that there is no way possible to get rid of the tandem drafting.

"But what we would like to do is make it possible to race without having to tandem draft the entire day, get back to where we're having passing, racing amongst the leaders, guys jostling around, moving in and out of packs and lines, and then at the end if it comes down to a one- or two-lap tandem draft that wins the race, that would be expected by everyone here, NASCAR and the drivers as well.

"The bumpers match up so perfectly. We're so comfortable even at 206 mph getting into the corner that I don't think you'll ever be able to get rid of it, but you can make it to where it's not the norm as much as it is now. We're doing it every single lap to stay in these races at this point. We'd like to get away from that a little bit. Have it as a tool, but not something that's a necessity."

Last month at Talladega NASCAR introduced further changes to those made for the Daytona races, including adjustments to the cooling system and a larger restrictor plate, without any convincing results.

Sprint Cup series director John Darby believes it will take a number of changes to achieve what NASCAR is looking for but denied the bumpers aligning so well when making contact to be the root of the issue. He considers further alterations to the radiators to be among the possible solutions so that cars cannot push for as long as they have been able to do so thus far.

"Everything is on the table," said Darby. "The radiator is a simple part that does have a big effect in the deal. Teams spend a tremendous amount of money for a speedway radiator, if you will. So there's lots of benefits from addressing the cooling systems.

"If it's simply the fact that you can have the same radiator in Atlanta and California, Michigan, Daytona and Talladega, it keeps the parts inventory lower, besides the other effects we would get here at a plate race."

The Cup field will be testing at Daytona in January in preparation for the 2012 season-opening Daytona 500, the first race with fuel injected cars in NASCAR history.

Harvick willing to help Stewart

Kevin Harvick hopes to give fellow Chevrolet driver Tony Stewart a push in his bid to win a third Sprint Cup series title.

The Richard Childress Racing driver enters the season-finale at Homestead next weekend ranked third in points and already eliminated from title contention, following a 19th place finish at Phoenix last weekend.

Although Chevrolet has already clinched a 35th Sprint Cup series manufacturer title after Jimmie Johnson won at Kansas earlier during the Chase, Harvick hopes to help Stewart, who has raced for his Nationwide Series team in the past, win yet another driver's title for the bow tie brand.

"Obviously we want to do the best we can in the season-ending points standings, and that's finish third, where we are right now," Harvick said.

"We'll do whatever we can to try to get a Chevrolet into the championship circle there at the end of the season without doing something crazy. If we can help Tony in any way, we will."

Harvick won four races during the regular season en route to becoming one of the leading contenders for the Cup title entering the Chase.

He then led the standings early in the play-off, but was involved in a multi-car incident at Talladega which meant a 32nd place finish and a loss of points from which he has been unable to recover.

The 35-year-old, a two-time Nationwide Series champion as a driver and Truck Series champion as owner of his KHI outfit, has also won most of the biggest races in NASCAR including the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 and the All-Star race.

He says he continues to look forward to having another shot at his first Cup championship trophy.

"Well, there's really only one thing that I look forward to, and that's the day that we hopefully win this championship," says Harvick.

"We've been fortunate to experience a lot of the big moments in the sport, whether it be the Daytona 500, any of the other big races, whether it's Nationwide or Truck, we've been a part of those championships, and we've raced for the Truck championship.

"That's the big box left open without the check in it that Richard and our whole organization want to put a check in hopefully as quickly as possible."

Harvick is closing down the shop of his KHI squad as he will no longer field entries in the Truck Series in 2012, while his Nationwide team will merge back to RCR for next year.

Piquet to make Nationwide oval debut

Nelson Piquet Jr will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series maiden oval outing next weekend in the season-finale at Homestead.

The 26-year-old will be on double duty during the closing race weekend of NASCAR's national series, competing Friday in the Truck Series finale for Kevin Harvick to round out a positive first season, while Saturday he will drive for Turner Motorsports in the second-tier series.

Piquet had already raced a Nationwide Series car last year, finishing seventh at Watkins Glen for team owner Mike Curb, but Saturday's race will mark his first series' outing in an oval.

The Brazilian will also be fighting for Rookie of the Year Honors in the Truck Series against Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter.

"I am so looking forward to this weekend at Homestead," said Piquet. "I seem to do quite well at this style of track and I've learned so much during the course of the season. I'm heading into the truck race with a lot of confidence in myself and my team.

"We are only five points behind Joey Coulter for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award, and I'm hoping that after the race this weekend we'll be able to take over the lead. A solid finish will also help me achieve my primary goal of the season, finishing within the top-10 in the Driver Point standings.

"I'm excited to be getting in a Nationwide car again. Last year I got a good result at Watkins Glen so if I can get another result like that it will be fantastic."

Last April Piquet claimed his best Truck Series result by finishing second at Nashville and more recently he was a contender for victory at Kentucky - an intermediate tracks as Nashville and Homestead - where he led the race for 40 laps en route to a fourth-place finish, one of five top-five finishes he has claimed in his first full season in NASCAR.

The former Formula 1 racer expects to take a step up in the NASCAR ladder next year by competing full-time in the Nationwide Series.

Stewart: Johnson's streak a one-off

Tony Stewart thinks Jimmie Johnson's streak of five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles - which came to an end when Johnson was knocked out of the 2011 championship hunt at Phoenix on Sunday - is a feat that will never be achieved again.

Stewart and title rival Carl Edwards will head into next weekend's season finale at Homestead to decide who becomes Johnson's successor, after the Hendrick Motorsports driver's 14th-place finish yesterday put him mathematically out of contention for another title.

Following Sunday's race, Stewart paid tribute to Johnson's achievements over the past five seasons, suggesting that with the Cup series so competitive, he cannot envisage anyone ever maintaining such a long title-winning streak in the future.

Before Johnson's fourth title, the longest championship streak in NASCAR's top series had been achieved by Cale Yarborough between 1976 and '78.

"I don't see anybody doing it again," said Stewart, who was the last man to beat Johnson to a title in 2005.

"I think it's been absolutely remarkable to begin with for Jimmie to put five in a row together. I know this year hasn't ended up the way he's wanted by any means. I think he goes to Vegas and holds his head up high knowing what they've accomplished. The fact is that there's a real good possibility in the history of the sport for eternity that it could never happen again.

"The competition gets tighter and tighter, tougher and tougher. I just think it's amazing. You understand why people didn't want him to win a sixth one. At the same time, I've said it from day one, how do you knock down a guy that's going out and doing what he's supposed to do? If we could trade places with him, we'd do it in a heartbeat, go out and win five in a row.

"I think you've got to tip your hat to him. I think that's something in NASCAR history that I would put my money on that it will never happen again."

Next weekend Johnson will head to the Homestead decider without a fighting chance for the first time since 2003, in what has been his worst play-off thus far. He will enter the season-finale contending for third place in the standings and searching for his first win at one of the few tracks where he has yet to claim victory.

"I'm definitely disappointed that we won't be able to go to Homestead and race for our sixth [championship] but that's motorsports," said Johnson.

"It's a very tough business. What we did over the last five years was absolutely spectacular and I've just got to thank [sponsor] Lowe's, I've got to thank Hendrick Motorsports, Chad Knaus [crew chief], and this whole race team for giving me everything they've had these 10 years.

"Even though we're not in position to win the championship now, we're going to go to Homestead and try to have our best race down there that we can and finish as high as we can in the points."

He added: "I've been racing 30 years; shoot, 31 years and I've won probably two other big championship along the way. So, seven out of 31 years; this is normal. What we did over the last five years is abnormal. And then now we'll get a taste of normality."

While Stewart will be fighting for a third Cup title next weekend, Carl Edwards, a former Nationwide Series champion, will be seeking his first crown in NASCAR's main series.

Kahne wins for Red Bull at Phoenix

Kasey Kahne claimed his first victory for Red Bull Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ahead of Chase contenders Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart at Phoenix on Sunday.

Kahne was a contender in the late stages of the race and was the first of the frontrunners to make his last pitstop for a splash of fuel and new right-side tyres, emerging in the lead once the final stops cycled under green.

Edwards cut the gap to Kahne after completing his final stop but he ran out of laps to really challenge him for the lead. Behind them Stewart passed Jeff Burton on the penultimate lap to finish a distant third and remain in close title contention.

Kahne's win, the second for Red Bull Racing Team, comes with the team's future still uncertain and in the 31-year-old's penultimate race for Red Bull before joining Hendrick Motorsports.

"It's been a long time," said Kahne. "This whole Red Bull team has done an unbelievable job to keep working hard. Kenny Francis [crew chief] keeps on it, everybody at Red Bull, the car, the Toyota engine. It was a great run today. The guys did an awesome job.

"We fell back a little bit early and then came back and just kept getting it better. These guys haven't given up in the last three months. It's been really cool."

Edwards' second place allows him to stay in control of the Chase entering the season finale, although Stewart leading the most laps means the three-point gap that separated them entering Sunday's race remains in place for the season finale next week.

The Chase leader was up front for only 27 laps but was probably the most consistent of the frontrunners throughout the race, only getting beaten by Kahne through strategy.

"We have never gone into Homestead with the points lead," Edwards said. "You know they give a boat away if you win that thing. I saw that boat and I would like to go down there and win it.

"That would be fun to put a cap on this season. That is what our mission is."

Stewart led more than half the distance and was able to beat Edwards on the outside groove during the sixth restart, then kept his Roush Fenway rival behind until the penultimate round of pitstops.

However he lost his edge after dropping to third behind Penske's Kurt Busch and Richard Childress Racing's Paul Menard, who gambled on taking two new tyres to Stewart's four at their penultimate stops.

The Stewart Hass driver was unable to remain in close contention after that, losing third to Edwards on the restart and then dropping behind Kahne as well. He was unable to recover much ground on the leaders as the race carried on under green for the last 88 laps.

"I'm just thinking of the three points," said Stewart, who would need a victory at Homestead to win his third title regardless of where Edwards finishes.

"No, we had an awesome day. We came up two spots shy. I don't know how you could have asked for a better day really. We led the most laps, we were on the same pace we were last week just to have a perfect day.

"Just fought as hard as we could all day. Got out of balance the second to last stop and just lost that little bit that we needed to stay up there and keep Carl honest."

Kurt Busch lost any chance of victory when he ran out of fuel right before his final stop, which then took longer than planned as he struggled to get his engine fired up again.

Early race leader Matt Kenseth was once again on the receiving end of a touch from Red Bull's Brian Vickers following their exchange at Martinsville two weeks ago. Vickers drove into the back of the Roush driver entering Turn 3 as Kenseth had slowed down with brake issues.

"Obviously it is retaliation for retaliation I guess," said Kenseth. "I was out of brakes and I was up on everybody and I saw him coming and I lifted at least 10 car lengths before where I would normally lift and he drove in there at 165mph and cleaned us out."

Kyle Busch made a great recovery from the back of the grid up to third but then was forced to retire with his second engine failure of the weekend, having lost a first engine at the start of the first practice session n Friday.

Outgoing champion Jimmie Johnson finished 14th and lost any mathematical chance of defending his title for the fifth consecutive time.

Kevin Harvick struggled to a 19th-place finish, never showing the speed to contend for a strong result. He leaves Phoenix third in the points but 51 behind Edwards, which means it will be a two-horse race for the 2011 Cup title at Homestead.

Results - 312 laps: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 2h45m47.000s 2. Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Ford + 0.802s 3. Tony Stewart Stewart Haas Chevrolet + 4.319s 4. Jeff Burton Childress Chevrolet + 4.634s 5. Ryan Newman Stewart Haas Chevrolet + 5.865s 6. AJ Allmendinger Petty Ford + 7.297s 7. David Reutimann Waltrip Toyota + 7.609s 8. Marcos Ambrose Petty Ford + 9.198s 9. Paul Menard Childress Chevrolet + 14.865s 10. Clint Bowyer Childress Chevrolet + 16.740s 11. Joey Logano Gibbs Toyota + 21.251s 12. Denny Hamlin Gibbs Toyota + 23.409s 13. Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Ford + 1 lap 14. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Chevrolet + 1 lap 15. Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet + 1 lap 16. Mark Martin Hendrick Chevrolet + 1 lap 17. Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet + 1 lap 18. Brad Keselowski Penske Dodge + 1 lap 19. Kevin Harvick Childress Chevrolet + 1 lap 20. Martin Truex Jr Waltrip Toyota + 1 lap 21. Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Toyota + 1 lap 22. Kurt Busch Penske Dodge + 1 lap 23. Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota + 1 lap 24. Dale Earnhardt Jr Hendrick Chevrolet + 2 laps 25. Cole Whitt Red Bull Toyota + 2 laps 26. Casey Mears Germain Toyota + 3 laps 27. Dave Blaney Baldwin Chevrolet + 3 laps 28. JJ Yeley Front Row Ford + 3 laps 29. Landon Cassill Phoenix Chevrolet + 3 laps 30. Mike Bliss FAS Lane Ford + 4 laps 31. David Gilliland Front Row Ford + 5 laps 32. Jeff Gordon Hendrick Chevrolet + 6 laps 33. David Ragan Roush Fenway Ford + 14 laps Retirements: Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Ford 238 laps Robby Gordon Gordon Dodge 218 laps Kyle Busch Gibbs Toyota 188 laps Geoffrey Bodine Baldwin Chevrolet 153 laps Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet 62 laps Scott Speed Whitney Ford 60 laps Michael McDowell HP Toyota 46 laps Joe Nemechek NEMCO Toyota 30 laps Mike Skinner Max Q Ford 25 laps Travis Kvapil Front Row Ford 20 laps