Stewart still in search of spark to help end his slump

SONOMA, Calif.

Waiting on Tony Stewart is like staring into the evening sky on July 4 and seeing only darkness.

No wins. No tantrums. No decisions.

And maybe no Chase for the two-time points champion.

Stewart sizzling in summer - few are better during June, July and August - is as common as humidity, but his season has turned into one of those "staycations" people are taking this year. Going nowhere.

Stewart's 10th-place finish Sunday at Infineon Raceway continued a 10-month drought that has the driver testy and his trophy case dusty.

That isn't a bad thing, though. Stewart often is best when trouble bubbles either from lack of success or self-control. He thrives on stress and conflict.

Maybe this cocktail of losing, falling in the points and facing questions about where he'll race next year will revive Stewart. Races at Daytona, Chicago and Indianapolis are approaching, and he's won at each track within the last two seasons.

Ten races remain until the Chase begins, so there's time left for a patented Stewart charge. Yet, the way his year has gone, it's easy to wonder if he's destined to miss the Chase.

How else to explain it? Stewart has come within six miles of winning NASCAR's two biggest races - the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Instead, he lost both, is 11th in the standings and 19 points from falling out of the top 12.

Since his last victory in August 2007 at Watkins Glen, 13 drivers have won. Already, there is talk that if Stewart leaves Joe Gibbs Racing, as he has said he might do, he'll be replaced by an 18-year-old. Yes, a good 18-year-old, but when do you see a champion replaced by someone just eligible to vote for the first time?

Somewhere Stewart needs a spark. Maybe it will come from his friend Kevin Harvick. Or is it former friend?

Harvick triggered Stewart's demise Sunday when he spun late in the race. Harvick slid into Jamie McMurray, running third, and McMurray ricocheted into Stewart, running second.

It's the second time this season Stewart has had contact with Harvick late in a race while in second, knocking Stewart down several spots. They had a run-in at Bristol in March. Those incidents cost Stewart about 85 points. Add that to his current total and he's ninth in the standings.

Had Stewart's car not suffered a flat tire while leading with three laps left at Charlotte, he would have won there in May and collected about 75 more points. Give him those points and he's sixth in the standings, just ahead of Jeff Gordon.

Stewart's rival is his opposite this season. Gordon has struggled with his car's handling but even when things seem bleak, he has managed a top-10 or even a top-five finish.

It happened again Sunday at Infineon Raceway. Gordon complained about his car, and even crew chief Steve Letarte was mystified with the vehicle's stubbornness. Timely cautions and problems to others helped Gordon finish third and climb three spots in the standings.

While Gordon marveled at his fortune, Stewart stewed about a season that is fast slipping away. A few expletives and noticeable frustration laced his radio conversation with his crew after the incident. He said little to reporters after the race.

He has said little since late April about his future with Gibbs. Stewart admitted a couple of months ago he had received offers to drive for other teams, though his contract with Gibbs goes through next season.

One offer includes partial ownership in Haas CNC Racing. Where the 37-year-old Stewart will end up, though, is a weekly topic of debate in the garage.

Team president J.D. Gibbs admitted this weekend that the uncertainty around Stewart's future is "a nuisance" for all involved. Stewart downplays any impact on his team, and Gibbs says many members of Stewart's crew have been through similar hard times with their driver.

They've had nothing like this, however, and neither has Stewart. Can his discontent fester much longer?