Stewart-Haas Racing News and Video » Tony Stewart » Tony Stewart in the HendrickCars.com #80 for Daytona Nationwide Race
Tony Stewart in the HendrickCars.com #80 for Daytona Nationwide Race
Daytona – Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will attempt to qualify a No. 80 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet prepared by Hendrick Motorsports for the Feb. 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Should he qualify, the race will mark Stewart’s first-ever start for car owner Rick Hendrick.
In eight Nationwide Series events at Daytona, Stewart has posted three wins, four top-five finishes and five top-10s. Stewart also has earned one pole position and led 106 laps at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Stewart earned the pole position and led 46 laps last February at Daytona to win the season-opening Nationwide Series race. He also won the 300-mile event in 2005 and 2006.
Lance McGrew, the 2003 Nationwide Series champion crew chief, will guide Stewart and the No. 80 HendrickCars.com team during the Feb. 14 race. The veteran crew chief won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last season with Mark Martin behind the wheel of the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. McGrew has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 80-533 for the Nationwide Series event at Daytona. Apart from a recent straight-line test session with driver Landon Cassill, the car has not seen track time.
The Feb. 14 event marks the first time that Hendrick Motorsports has fielded a Nationwide Series entry since 2007, when the Nos. 5 and 24 Chevys competed. Six drivers that season combined to score four wins, 24 top-five finishes, 35 top-10s and three pole positions.
Tony Stewart Q&A:
How difficult is it to win at Daytona?
“Restrictor plate races at Daytona are always a wild card race. You never know who’s going to win. We were fortunate enough to win one and then back it up the next year. To do it back-to-back like that is something we’re really proud of. Now we have another shot to get back-to-back wins.”
How do you find a drafting partner at Daytona?
“I think it’s more a situation of guys finding the fast cars, and you finding the guys that you know are going to go with you because they know you’re quick. If they go with you, they’re going to get you to the front, which is going to get them to the front. It’s kind of ‘help me help you.’”
What about previous drafting partners?
“You have a list of guys that you know you’re drafting with, and then there’s another list of guys that you’re all right with, and there’s another list of guys that you don’t want to be around. So you always know who the guys are you want to be with and who you’d rather not see anywhere near you.”
What is your strategy going in to a restrictor plate race?
“The strategy is making sure you’ve got somebody you can draft with. You have to take the opportunities as they come, but with those opportunities you have to make a very quick decision. You’ve got to think, ‘What happens if I try this and it doesn’t work? What are the ramifications going to be?’ You don’t have the luxury of sitting down and taking the time to analyze the situation. You’ve got to make a split-second decision. A lot of times it’ll work, but there are times when the decision that you made doesn’t work. But once you’ve committed yourself to doing something, there’s not much you can do about it.”
Lance McGrew on having Tony Stewart driving the #80:
“The great thing about working with a veteran like Tony is he knows exactly what he wants the race car to do. He has won the race several times and knows what it takes. Our approach to the weekend is pretty simple — give him what he needs to win the race. Hopefully, it’s perfect off of the truck, but if not, then by the end of practice it will be. This is a very important race for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and Tony. It’s been a long time in the making, and we have put all of our efforts towards winning this race. Now it’s time to get it done.”
Filed under: Tony Stewart · Tags: Chevrolet, HendrickCars.com, Lance McGrew
how many teams have dropped out.hearing that tony and rick are together.what is their chance.
Go Tony Go. I know that you can win back to back. Stay focused and you will come out a winner. Please keep your temper in tact and you will do just fine. I’m so proud of my driver (Smoke). He will do great driving the #80. He will have the same equipment as Jimmy, Gordon and Jr. and he will show them that he is a great driver without Joe Gibbs. GO SMOKE!!!!!!
you can go head and wave the cheraked flag that one is not hard to answer smoke in victory lane you no who is the man go head and smokeem up smoke
Tony, my deceased daughter Penny Ann was one of your biggest fans, she is in heaven now and I asked her to send a burst of air your way to get you across that finish line….looks like she did. Good job great racing….God bless you this year…
Wow! What a finnish! Let’s see much more this year Tony!!!
Great win Tony.
Just finished watching you win at Daytona. Was really happy that you beat Roudy Busch. He tried to turn you around but you prevailed. Good luck this year in both series.
What an excellent performance by Tony Stewart! It took a very skilled driver to pull through what he just did! :) GO SMOKE!
win tonys uniform?
I could not find where to register to win your race suit .
Congratulations! Wonderful entertainment watching your skills.
Thank you.
Chas.
Great Job, Tony….Wish you all the Best in 2009
Way to go Tony great win was so close !!!!! couldn’t have done it better even if I had drove it myself LOL !!! Hope this season is better for you and Nascar good luck in all the races !! STAND ON IT SMOKE DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT !!! Really like you own it !!! Just bring it back in one peice !!!
Congrads Tony. That was 1 hell of a race. Me being from Talladega i wasnt much of a fan but since you have you own team now you gained 1 new fan. not bad Earnhardt and Stewart Country now. Do us all a favor and pull a Allan Kulwickie and win the championship. GO SMOKE
Im 45 years old have been nascars fan for years have rised 5 boys who all watch and go to races when they can, I have been a fan of tonys for years and now since having cancer and blockages in the brain that has left me paralized on left side and loosing my eye sight I still can say I will be a fan of nascar as long as I can hear the sound of those cars, congrates to tony on his win today and hope it will have the same on sundays race good luck and god bless
I want the suit Tony raced in
Tony, just finished watching your victory in the nationwide race, WOW! Vintage SMOKE. I would like a means of speaking with you to get some input on a racing venture. I miss you in the 20 car, but you drive the wheels off of anything. Keep winning, we need another championship./
TONYSTEWART IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE DRIVER TO LOOK OUT FOR !!!I HAVE BEEN A FAN SINCE I SAW HIM IN THE TRUCK RACES!!!you have won the nationwide at DAYTONA!!!look out here comes TONY STEWART 2009CHAMPION OF SRINT NASCAR!!!
Glad to see you back in a Chevy. Great race–CONGRATS–. Look forward to seeing you S M O K E kyle many more times this season. Hate to see your and Ryans 500 cars tore up. Good Luck tomorrow
Jon
looking for the win myself (tonys suit),great job-now thats the way a great team opperates=awesome race
Great Race Tony! I’ve been following you since …COM/ I did come here to
register for his racing suit.
e-mail me back?
awesome finish in the #80! got a big seg!
Tony Rules!!!
great job smoke
How can you win the uniform from Daytona. There are no links on this site from what I see.
WOW ,what a finish smoke! would love to add your drivers suit to our collection. I also heard your building a new house. I do concrete any thing poured walls,reataing walls , side walks ,patios and we specialize in decorative concrete.we can do any thing a person can dream up.Were a small business just started out in 2006,but I have been doing it for over 18 yesrs.IF I can’t help you out maybe you know some one that I can.maybe down in Eldora.GREAT RACE today looking forward to another win for your team in the Daytona 500.good luck see ,you on letterman tuesday!
i want to win tony’s suit that he won the race in today.
how do i do that?
GREAT WIN TODAY,GOOD LUCK THE REST OF THE NEW YEAR. HOW DO I ENTER TO WIN YOUR SUIT?
that was a very nice win today tony. keepup the good work. i hope you will be very sussesful in your new company, good luck tomorrow jim
Job well done Smoke!! They can put you in any car, it dont matter, and you find a way to win. You are the best driver ever.
Outstanding job, Tony. This is going to be a great year for you! I hope you win many races in 2009 and the championship, and I hope that I win your driver’s uniform.
go to Hendrickcars.com and click the race car to go to the win the race suit contest.
hey smoke , just want to let you know how great it is to see the chevy bo tie back on the front of your car!
i still watch reruns of kyle trying to block you!!! keep the pedal to the metal!!!