Tony Stewart Watkins Glen Preview

FRONTIER AT THE GLEN Watkins Glen International - 2.45-mile road course Race 21 of 34 - NASCAR Winston Cup Series August 13-15, 1999 Race time: Sunday August 15, 1999 - 12:30 p.m. EDT Live television coverage: ESPN, Live radio coverage: MRN

Watkins Glen International will be the second road course race of Tony Stewart's career. It is also one of the few race tracks on the NASCAR Winston Cup Circuit that the rookie Home Depot driver has not previously tested or raced.

Stewart's road course debut came at Sears Point Raceway earlier this season where he finished with a respectable 15th. He prepared for his first road course race by participating in intensive training at the Boundarant Driving School in Phoenix prior to the Talladega Diehard 500 and the Russell Racing School at Sears Point following the California 500.

After completing his first Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Saturday, Stewart spent the next day with more than 1,200 fans at a picnic in Celebrations Park in Indianapolis. He spent five hours greeting members of the Tony Stewart Fan Club and signing autographs

Tony Stewart, Driver -- (Fifth in standings with 2,711 points) On Racing at Watkins Glen: "Although I've never even seen the road course at Watkins Glen, I've been told that it's going to be one heck of a ride this weekend. We only see these road courses twice a year so I'm looking forward to making a few right-hand turns in the Home Depot Pontiac."

"We'll be drawing on our notes from Sears Point. The Home Depot team had a pretty good run there, especially when you consider it was our first race on a road course. There's definitely an art to driving these big cars on a road course."

"Saving the brakes and tires will be key. It's up to me to take care of my #20 Home Depot car so we are still there at the end of the race."

"I'm confident that we will have a good run at the Glen. Everyone has been asking me when we're going to win our first race. Well, I don't know if it is going to happen this coming weekend, but I do think we'll turn in a good performance for Joe Gibbs and Home Depot."

STEWART 1999 NASCAR WINSTON CUP STATS: STARTS POLES WINS TOP 5 TOP 10 TOP 15 WINNINGS 20 1 0 5 12 17 $1,376,916