Stewart hopeful for Kansas

Stewart currently runs second in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, having finished third at Loudon and ninth at Dover last week. Last year he didn't make it into the final playoff but won three of the last ten races, the first of them at Kansas Speedway.

He took victory at the 1.5-mile oval by gambling on fuel strategy and crossing the finish line first despite running out of fuel halfway through the last lap. He says this year he may not be taking such chances given his current status in the title race.

"We were able to take the chance because we had nothing to lose," Stewart says. "Not being in the Chase gave us that opportunity to take the chance and go ahead and run for it. It's not a chance we can take this year."

The Joe Gibbs driver won this year on pure pace at Chicagoland, a track that, according to Stewart, is almost identical to Kansas. He hopes that what made him fast there in July, will do so again this weekend at the sister track.

"I'm hoping that it's going to," Stewart added. "The two tracks are so alike. You'd like to think that if you had success at one track that you'd have success at the other. But at the same time, there are no guarantees in this sport.

"As fast as technology changes, what worked a month ago might not work now. We won't know anything until we hit the track."

Two races into the Chase, Stewart is still uncertain about how important it will be for him at the end of the year to have started the last ten races with two top tens. The top five in the points are virtually tied as only 10 points separate them.

"Without knowing what the next eight weeks are going to be like, you don't know whether it's important or not [to be second now]," Stewart said. "It sure doesn't hurt your feelings after you've put up a good run. It's kind of common sense.

"If you run bad, you're not real happy about it. If you run good, you're normally pretty happy about it."

Stewart has moved up one place in the Chase since the first race at Loudon, having started it third, 20 points off from reigning champion Jimmie Johnson.