By Simon Evans
HOMESTEAD, Florida (Reuters) - Tony Stewart barely scraped into NASCAR's season-ending playoffs, but he dominated the finale in unprecedented fashion, culminating in a third championship for a man who is simply obsessed with racing cars.
Stewart was not being entirely self-depreciating at the conclusion of the regular season when he claimed to be taking up a spot for someone who deserved it more, but by the end of the Chase, no-one was doubting his right to be involved.
Five wins in 10 races was a remarkable record and the fifth of those, a comeback triumph over Carl Edwards, who went into the race leading the championship by three points, was an emphatic way to add to his 2002 and 2005 triumphs.
Stewart made 118 passes as he twice came from deep in the field to get up front with Edwards and he showed tremendous aggression at restarts.
"I feel like I passed half the state of Florida... 118 cars is a helluva lot of cars to pass in a race but when you are under pressure, in the circumstances, it has to be one of the best races I've driven," Stewart told reporters.
It was a view shared by Stewart's hero, A.J. Foyt, the winner of the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and the Le Mans and Daytona 24 hour races.
"It was a great race. I was a little worried in the beginning because it seemed like something happened to Tony every time he got to the front," he said.
"He had to win it to win the championship and I think Tony drove the best race of his life. It was great to see the 14 win again. I am real proud of him."
Similar to Foyt, Stewart has tried his hand at numerous formats.
He is the only man to win a national championship in both Indycar Racing League and NASCAR and he has occasionally appeared in midget car, Sprint Car and Silver Crown races across the country.
The victory was the first for a man who co-owns his Stewart-Haas Racing team, just one item on his long list of racing commitments that includes ownership of one racetrack and part-ownership of two more.
"The biggest factor that made me go into NASCAR, was to get to race 33 races a year and not 11," Stewart said of his switch from open-wheel racing.
And perhaps it was that desire to compete, even away from his 'day job' that gave him the extra spark this season.
"I got to run 30 nights this year away from NASCAR and had a blast doing it. I think that as much as it scares our management worrying about me getting hurt... when I would come back it energised me. It was like hitting a reset button.
"I had fun racing again this year and I think that transferred to what we were doing with the Cup car. I think that made a big difference".
(Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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