Tony Stewart held his car in gear with one hand and steered with the other to take the checkered flag at Sonoma's Nextel road race in California. Fourth gear was gone and third gear was on its way out, forcing him to hold the shifter in gear.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup Dodge/Save Mart 350 was Stewart's first win of the season since he won another road race at Watkins Glen International last year.
Today he passed Rickey Rudd for the lead and the win.
"I was just holding (the gearshift) with one hand in the end stages,” a grinning Stewart said. “That was getting tough, especially when you’re trying to pass Ricky Rudd.”
