Stewart hopes bad luck is behind him

P After his first two races, Stewart is losing ground to the Winston Cup points leaders.

LAS VEGAS -- As unlikely as it is to consider the third race of a very long season as crucial, the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 might be just that for Tony Stewart if he hopes to be a title contender.

The beginning of this season is similar to the start last year for Stewart. He faltered early, then came on strong in the late going to finish second in points to four-time series champion Jeff Gordon.

Just about any list of top contenders for the 2002 title started with those two names, but Stewart's last-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 -- thanks to a blown engine after just two laps -- left him perplexed.

"You can't help but wonder what's going to happen next," Stewart said Saturday as he got ready for the race today at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

He bounced back from the Daytona debacle with a fourth-place finish last Sunday in Rockingham, N.C., and moved from 43rd to 22nd in the season standings.

Las Vegas could be a pivotal race. It could provide momentum for Stewart or shuffle him back into that deep hole created in Daytona.

"I think everybody is kind of realistic about the fact that in 36 races that you're going to have three or four bad days during the year," Stewart said before climbing into his Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac for the final practice session. "You know it's going to happen to everybody.

"After Daytona is over, you just have to forget about Daytona and go to Rockingham. Now, last week is over and you focus on this week."

Stewart will start 15th today.

"I know I'm not very high up in the odds at the casino sports books here," he said. "Maybe we can cost them some money."

Todd Bodine, campaigning for a new sponsor after his team lost its major funding from bankrupt Kmart, will start from the pole, alongside precocious rookie Ryan Newman. Third on the grid will be Las Vegas native Kurt Busch.

Burton wins Busch event

LAS VEGAS -- If only Jeff Burton could run every weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The pole-winning driver came from behind following his final pit stop and pulled away to win by a full straightaway in the Sam's Town 300 Busch Series race.

Burton has been dominating on the 1 1/2-mile oval in both Busch and Winston Cup. He now owns two victories and five top-10 finishes in as many Busch Series starts here and goes into today's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 with two victories and a runner-up finish in four Cup starts.

Hornish wins IRL opener

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- In a new season with plenty of new competition, IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. put himself in the same old position: atop the series standings.

Hornish won IRL season opener, the Grand Prix of Miami, in dominating fashion. It was his fourth victory in two seasons and second straight at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Hornish lapped the field with about 65 laps remaining.

-- From wire services