Kellermann-Strauss Forum » ood with it," Bairstow said in explaining

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. Wholesale Football Jerseys . Better still, its in the same team and there are 13 races left for it to develop. Cheap Jerseys From China . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. http://www.cheapfootballchinajerseys.com/. - All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked spry enough in pregame warmups Sunday for Green Bays divisional playoff game against Dallas. Cheap Football Jerseys . Nine-year veteran Danny Granger did not make his debut with the Clippers because of a technicality on the teams active list, which is signed by coach Doc Rivers before every game and relayed to the officials. Grangers name was printed by hand by a member of the public relations staff under the heading: "Updated Roster Additions," but the number on the sheet was not circled along with the other active players by the required deadline of 6:30 p. NFL Jerseys Supply .Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems to be leaning the fiscally responsible way.Let me put it like this: Its going to be a challenge, Jones said of re-signing both of Dallas biggest potential free agents.ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexicos strategy was simple against No. 6 San Diego State: Get the ball to Cameron Bairstow. Bairstow scored 26 points on a series of jumpers, dunks and layups to lead the Lobos to a 58-44 victory over the Aztecs on Saturday night. "I said it before and I said it on national TV, Ive got the best power forward in the country playing for us in Cam Bairstow," New Mexico coach Craig Neal said. After failing to score above 20 points before this season, the senior Bairstow topped 20 for the 16th time this campaign. "Bairstow had his way," Aztecs coach Steve Fisher said. "Hes 11 for 18, 26 points. Hes good. Im up trying to beg for a call. Swimming in the post, swimming in the post. And I couldve gone swimming myself. He was just getting the ball and scoring with it." San Diego State (23-3, 12-2 Mountain West) entered the game hoping to deny Bairstow the ball. The strategy was unsuccessful. "We were just trying not to let him catch it deep," Aztecs forward J.J. OBrien said. "Not give him easy buckets. He likes to duck in, use his strength and get easy buckets. We were going to try and keep him out of the paint as well as we could." However, Bairstow had his way all game, scoring 10 in the first half then leading a second-half charge that stymied San Dieggo State.dddddddddddd After the Aztecs opened the second half with a basket, New Mexico (21-5, 12-2) hammered out a 21-2 run over a span of almost 9 minutes to take a 50-26 lead. Bairstow started the run with two baskets, and ended up with 10 in the surge. "I just felt good with it," Bairstow said in explaining his success. "Looking at the scoreboard, I couldnt believe we were up 20. Obviously I was expecting a lot closer game." It was a game that the Lobos were determined to have, he said. "We knew what was on the line and what the game meant to us," Bairstow said. "We wanted to get out to a quick start and we managed to do that. Its not like this is a signature win thats going to win the conference. But it is one which puts us even with San Diego State." Neal credited the teams defensive effort, particularly on Aztecs leading scorer Xavier Thames, who averages 17 but shot 3 of 15 and finished with seven points. Winston Shepard led San Diego States effort with 10 points. "I thought the difference was our defence," Neal said. "We wanted to give them space. We wanted them to make jump shots over us. We no-helped Thames. So if he was on ballside or anywhere by the ball, we didnt want him to get it back. So I thought that was a big key to our game." ' ' '