Long Pond, PA (Sports Network) - Tony Stewart will have to start from the rear
of the field in a backup car for Sunday's Pocono 500 after wrecking in
practice at Pocono Raceway.
Stewart damaged the front end of his No.14 Chevrolet after he spun into the
grass while exiting the Tunnel Turn.
"I went off into the grass, but I hit the right front of the splitter with I
guess one of the access roads or something and ripped the whole nose off of
it," Stewart said.
The current Sprint Cup Series points leader would have started on the pole
since Friday's qualifying at Pocono was cancelled due to rain.
Even though Stewart missed out on most of the first practice, his team
prepared the backup car in time for the final session.
"This car will be good," he said. "It's just that we're losing on the race
track right now."
Stewart, who currently holds a 46-point lead over Jeff Gordon, finished sixth
in the final practice. Denny Hamlin was quickest at 165.317 m.p.h.