The good thing about NASCAR is I don't question what they do anymore because I pretty much learned in the seven years I've been here that, you know, there's a reason everything's done. Whether you understand it right away or not, after time, everybody realises that, you know, what they do normally has a pretty good justification behind it.
I really haven't put a lot of thought into that car yet. You know, as I said, I'm really more worried about trying to defend a championship this year. You know, I'm excited to see what's going to happen with it, but I guess in all honesty, I just really haven't put a lot of thought to it yet.
Q.
Now that you're a track owner, do you see drivers in a different perspective when it comes to the purse size, or do you have somebody handling that for you so you never hear the complaints?
TONY STEWART:
Dude, I was a driver. I still am a driver. I still complain about purses. I don't have to worry about drivers complaining at my racetrack about purses. They know I'm doing everything I can to try to increase that for them, too.
Q.
You don't complain at Eldora?
TONY STEWART:
Do I complain at Eldora? Sure, I complain to the guys that run the facility every week. There's always more stuff I want done every week. That's from wearing so many different hats. That's from being there as a spectator, as a driver, as a crew member, as a car owner. I think that's something that gives me an advantage going in there. Those guys know I've been in there from every aspect of it. They know I can sit there and look at every aspect of it and understand it from their perspective, no matter what the topic is. I think they respect that fact.
Q.
Talk about how difficult it is to win consecutive championships.
TONY STEWART:
When was the last time somebody even did a back-to-back? I think it was Jeff Gordon, but what year? How far back was it?
Q.
'97/'98.
TONY STEWART:
It's almost been, what, eight years now since somebody has done it. I mean, I think that explains it right there. I mean, it's hard enough just to win one, let alone when you haven't had anybody at this level now do it back-to-back in eight years, that speaks for itself right there.
Q.
Is your mindset any different?
![Tony Stewart addresses the media in Las Vegas. [Pic Credit Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/192839.jpg)
