Stars und Sternchen! » ed 40th. It left only Kevin Harvi

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tony Stewart does not consider the Daytona 500 a disaster, despite the engine problems that spoiled his return to racing from a broken right leg. The three-time NASCAR champion wound up 35th in the season-opening race, but he logged enough laps during Speedweeks that he feels good going into the upcoming stretch of seven consecutive races. Stewart missed the final 15 races last year after breaking his leg in two places during a sprint car crash in Iowa. His first time back in a race car was Feb. 14, the day before he competed -- and was crashed out of -- the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. He also raced in the Budweiser Duel before the 500, giving him 672 miles of racing in three events. Stewart goes to Sundays race at Phoenix International Raceway "a lot more confident than I was before we got to Daytona." "I think having all the races that we ran, and actually getting in a crash, while not a great thing, allowed me to sort of test my leg and it felt good," Stewart said in a Stewart-Haas Racing team release. "There have been some little things that have felt a little different, but for the most part, its felt like an old pair of tennis shoes that youre just comfortable with. I think the whole time in Daytona exceeded my expectations of what I hoped it would be like." But the 500 itself was a letdown for SHR. Stewart had the engine issue and Danica Patrick was involved in a crash and finished 40th. It left only Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, the two newcomers to the organization, in contention for a solid finish and both had difficulties at the end. Busch wound up 21st and Harvick was involved in the final accident of the race and finished a team-best 13th. Stewart said Sundays race at Phoenix will be a better indicator of where the team is than Daytona, one of only four restrictor-plate races on the schedule. "Daytona and Talladega have always just been two different forms of racing," Stewart said, referring to the necessary teamwork and drafting. "What happens at Phoenix and the races after that has to be done on your own. You cant help each other at Phoenix. You just have to go race." He likes his chances at Phoenix, where he has one win, eight top-fives and 12 top-10s in 23 career starts. Hes completed all but 14 of 7,257 laps on the 1-mile oval. But PIR is also the place that pushed Stewart into becoming a full-time race car driver in 1993. Still working eight-hour days at $5-an-hour at a machine shop in Columbus, Ind., Stewart headed West to run USAC Silver Crown season-opening Copper World Classic. He qualified second to Davey Hamilton, then led 31 of 50 laps before finishing second to Mike Bliss. Stewart earned $3,500 that day -- a payout that convinced him running the Silver Crown, Sprint and Midget races across the nation that year sounded a lot better than returning to the machine shop. He never looked back, learning how to adapt in every kind of car he drove out of "fear that Im going to have to get a real job if Im not successful. "To think that it all kind of started at Phoenix, I guess you could say its the place where my career came full-circle," he said. Cheap New York Giants Jerseys China .com) - Australian Open champion Li Na, former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and former world No. Cheap Giants Jerseys China . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. http://www.cheapgiantsjerseyselite.com/ .Y. - Everyone expected Clayton Kershaw to pitch a shutout, and he did — a unanimous choice for the NL Cy Young Award. Authentic New York Giants Jerseys . -- Kansas City Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar will have Tommy John surgery that will sideline the pitcher for the season.IRVING, Texas - Before he became the Dallas linebacker caught up in the critical pass interference penalty that wasnt in a wild-card win over Detroit, Anthony Hitchens was a steadily improving rookie playing a much bigger role than the Cowboys anticipated.Nothing about that description has changed in his mind now that millions more people know who he is.Im just a guy who is trying to do his job, Hitchens said. I dont make calls. All I can do is get to the ball and do my job. Thats all I can say.Hitchens sprinted into the spotlight when he was trying to run down Brandon Pettigrew and made contact with the Lions tight end just before Matthew Staffords pass hit Hitchens in the back and he eased up before rolling over Pettigrew as both players fell.One official threw a flag, and referee Pete Morelli announced the penalty before another official overruled the call, saying there wasnt enough contact for interference. A day later, the NFL said there wasnt any interference, but that Hitchens should have been called for holding.People are still talking about it, even with the Cowboys (13-4) well on their way to preparations for Sundays division-round game at Green Bay (12-4).I think I did a pretty good job of closing the distance and at least trying to get my head turned around, Hitchens said. You can always improve. Just focus on more of the negatives than the positives at that time.The Cowboys were criticized for taking Hitchens in the fourth round out of Iowa when he projected as a later-round selection. They took him as insurance for oft-injured Sean Lee, who tore a knee ligament on the first day of off-season workouts less than a month later.Its been a whirlwind since for Hitchens, who has started at all three linebacker spots and is third on the team in tackles with 100. The leader is safety Barry Church, ahead of linebacker Rolando McClain, who was acquired in a trade just before training camp with the Cowboys hoping he could take Lees starting spot.McClain has had trouble staying healthy, and Justin Durant wwas lost to a torn arm muscle halfway through the season.ddddddddddddHitchens made it through all 16 games, then played through a sprained ankle against the Lions after missing practice all week. He was out again Wednesday.We planned to have him in a role where he wasnt going to have to play that much, coach Jason Garrett said of the wild-card game. Before you know it, Rolando cant play and now hes out there probably playing double the snaps we had planned to have him play.Its been that way since Lees knee gave out in a noncontract drill, and the significance of the injury wasnt lost on Hitchens.That I needed to grow up fast, like right then and there, Hitchens said of what he was thinking at the time. I didnt know if I was going to be in there right then or some other time down the road. I just knew I had to speed up my learning process real soon.Bruce Carter, who missed three games with a thigh injury and had to be replaced by Hitchens, said the rookie succeeded.Normally rookies come in, and they have the rookie wall, and the seasons gone on, Carter said. I dont see him as a rookie, to be quite honest. Hes one of us.The Cowboys liked Hitchens during the draft because of his versatility, but even they didnt think they would be moving him around as much as they have. And they didnt think he would be making the calls on defence, which he has occasionally.I do think he has grown up quickly, Garrett said. Sometimes that happens. When there is an opportunity that is there and there are a lot of people who are trying to fill a void, typically the progression and development happens more quickly and they get thrust into it.NOTES: DE Jeremy Mincey missed practice Wednesday, a day after concussion-like symptoms emerged. McClain is also set be evaluated for a concussion. ... DT Terrell McClain and RT Doug Free missed practice. 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