Stewart positive ahead of Daytona

The Joe Gibbs driver has finished second twice this season and he is currently sixth in the points, looking good for a place in the Chase, which he didn't make last year.

He has won the summer event at Daytona for the past two years and he expects to make it three in a row on Saturday night.

"We were fortunate enough to win two years ago and last year we were able to back it up," Stewart said. "To do it back-to-back like that is something we're really proud of.

"The car that we're going to run the 400 this time is the same car that we won the [Bud] Shootout with. It's already a proven winner at Daytona. It does give me confidence.

"We feel that our cars are better at Daytona in July than they actually are in February because the track is so much hotter and slicker. We seem to be able to find a balance that our car really likes. We have a lot of confidence that we can go back and win again."

After winning the non-points Bud Shootout in February, Stewart led 35 laps during the Daytona 500 before crashing out of the race, having made contact with Kurt Busch while fighting at the front.

However, with the increased temperatures on the track next weekend relative to February, the track conditions for the race will more likely put the emphasis on handling rather than horsepower, as is normally the case at restrictor-plate tracks.

"It's probably five times more of a handling race track in July than it is in February because of the heat," Stewart added. "Even though it might cool off a little bit at night, there's so much heat in the race track that it just stays there and soaks in the asphalt."

Stewart will be racing next weekend in the Busch Series as well. He will be driving the No. 18 entry for Joe Gibbs Racing, which has been on pole position for the past five restrictor-plate races.

Joe Gibbs Racing claimed their first Nextel Cup victory of the season last weekend at New Hampshire with Denny Hamlin.