Stewart favourite after NASCAR qualifying races

Tony Stewart, who has won almost every prize in the NASCAR series except the Daytona 500, held off Dale Earnhardt Jr in the first of two 150-mile (241 km) qualifiers and is favourite to win tomorrow's race. Stewart, who has won twice over 400 miles in...

Tony Stewart, who has won almost every prize in the NASCAR series except the Daytona 500, held off Dale Earnhardt Jr in the first of two 150-mile (241 km) qualifiers and is favourite to win tomorrow's race.

Stewart, who has won twice over 400 miles in the summer points races, on Thursday enjoyed his second qualifying race success in a week following his easy triumph in a 175-mile exhibition event at the 2.5 mile-high banked oval last Saturday.

"The qualifying races and shootouts are great and so are the July races but I really want this race on Sunday, bad," said Stewart, twice a NASCAR Cup champion, ahead of the Daytona 500, known as The Great American Race.

Jeff Burton, last year's pole winner, finished third as the top three places were swept by Chevrolets.

Forty-three cars will line up in the Daytona 500 tomorrow for a purse estimated at $18 million.

In the second qualifier Juan Pablo Montoya, the former F1 driver, led for 18 laps before dropping out with a broken wheel hub on his Dodge.

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