Stewart's next target? The Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Wondering when the buzz wore off from Tony Stewart winning his third Sprint Cup Series championship?

“It hasn't,” Stewart said during Thursday's Daytona 500 Media Day activities at Daytona International Speedway.

That's not surprising considering the manner in which Stewart won the title – with a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the season's final race to clinch the title.

“In all honesty we've still been riding that high,” he said. “We really never said 'Hey, we're celebrating our championship.' That lasted through the (postseason) banquet and we were right back to work.”

They has been plenty to do.

Stewart begins his quest for a fourth Cup title this season with a new crew chief, Steve Addington; a third Cup team with his Stewart-Haas Racing organization (with driver Danica Patrick); and the addition of several new sponsors to his team.

Even with the work required to prepare for the 2012 season, Stewart still found the time for some extracurricular racing in the off-season.

He won the inaugural Karting Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 11, where he was one of six NASCAR drivers in a race with six IndyCar Series drivers. A few days later on Dec. 31, Stewart won again, this time at the Rumble in Fort Wayne (Ind.) USAC Midget feature.

As 2011 turned to 2012, Stewart kept on winning, with his most recent triumph being an All-Star Circuit of Champions 410 Winged Sprint Car feature on Feb. 11 at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga.

Sounds like one hectic offseason.

Not so, Stewart says.

“It sounds like you would wear yourself out doing it, but that's my workout plan,” he said. “I don't go to the gym, I go to the race track and race.

“I'm much happier when I can be racing a lot.”

Stewart's friends and those who work with him say they have never seen the 40-year old native of Columbus, Ind., more “at peace” entering a season.

Is that a fair assessment?

“I think so,” Stewart said. “What is odd about it is we haven't really taken a break through the winter. I've been content. I've stayed busy racing.

“We've had a lot of stuff going on at the shop but it's all stuff we've been looking forward to.” In many respects, there isn't much left for Stewart to prove in his NASCAR career.

He's more than proved himself as a driver with 44 Cup wins and three championships. He's already at the pinnacle as an owner, having won the championship last year for the first time as an owner/driver.

If there something left on his “bucket list” in NASCAR, it's likely the Daytona 500.

Of the nine drivers who have won at least three Cup titles – Richard Petty (seven), Dale Earnhardt (seven), Jimmie Johnson (five), Jeff Gordon (four), David Pearson (three), Darrell Waltrip (three), Cale Yarborough (three), Lee Petty (three) and Stewart (three) – only Stewart has failed to win the Daytona 500.

He's been in position to win the race many times, with his best finish a second in 2004. He led 107 of 203 laps in 2005 but wound up seventh.

“It's high on the list,” Stewart said. “It's the highest thing on the list for the next two weeks.”

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