Stewart says new car is A-OK

DETROIT - Tony Stewart could drive granddad's jalopy and make it go fast.

So when others were complaining about NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow at Bristol last week, Stewart was on the gas and checking out.

The Joe Gibbs Racing ace led 257 laps in his No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet before a broken fuel pump stopped his charge.

Stewart, a two-time Nextel Cup champion, finished 35th but heads to Martinsville for Sunday's Goody's Cool Orange 500 12th in points and looking for his 30th series victory, in his Car of Tomorrow.

"I mean, we were really, really good," Stewart said of Bristol. "It's rare when you have a car that good anywhere, never mind at Bristol. On our last lap before we had the problem with the fuel-pump cable, all we did was change tires and put in fuel. Normally you're making some sort of change, even something minor. The car was perfect."

If Bristol means anything, Stewart is likely to dominate Martinsville, another classic short track. But he isn't getting ahead of himself.

"They're _ Bristol and Martinsville - the kind of tracks where if you have a good qualifying run and you have a great car, then the race is a lot of fun," Stewart said. "If you have a car that's not driving well and you have a bad qualifying run and a bad pit selection and you end up fighting the car all day, then a place like Martinsville becomes a very tough track.

"But that's also one of the reasons why when you do win there, it means so much. Plus the grandfather clock is one of the coolest trophies around."

Stewart is the defending Martinsville spring race champion. He also won there in 2000.

Despite the mechanical failure, Stewart's crew chief Greg Zipadelli expects another strong Martinsville performance but, like Stewart, isn't taking anything for granted.

"I think Martinsville and the next couple of races will be the true tale of do we have what we need figured out," said Zipadelli of the Car of Tomorrow. "We hit Bristol. We had a great car. But we don't have the finish to show how good our car really was."

IN MEMORIAM: Scott Kalitta will compete in funny car at this weekend's NHRA O'Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas.

He'll do it with a heavy heart following the death of fellow funny car driver Eric Medlen , who died of injuries suffered in a Gainesville, Fla., testing accident earlier this month.

"Words can't even describe my feelings now," said Kalitta, who drives for Ypsilanti-based Kalitta Motorsports. "Eric had such a positive, unselfish and kind disposition about him. I wish I was half of Eric Medlen in that regard. Going to the racetrack will never be the same.

"Godspeed, Eric."