Racebeat
by Rich Romer

NASCAR Winston Cup:Tony Stewart doesn't think his victory at Watkins Glen International will help cure his emotional problem. "It's a Band-Aid,'' he said. "It's not going to heal me a bit.'' Stewart was racing for the first time since being placed on a season-long probation for the second year in a row and fined $60,000 for punching a photographer Aug. 4 at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis. He said he is seeking professional help for his explosive temper. He was contrite when asked if he felt like a burden had been lifted from him. But Stewart said he was encouraged almost from the time he arrived this track in the picturesque Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. He said virtually everyone he saw wished him well. But he had it all together in the race, and his Pontiac was the class of the field over the waning laps on the 2.45-mile road course. Stewart won by 1.636 seconds for his 15th career victory and third this year, matching Matt Kenseth for the most on the Winston Cup circuit. Stewart hounded rookie Ryan Newman, who took the lead on the 63rd of 90 laps, trying him inside and outside on the serpentine course.

Finally, the 31-year-old Stewart made his move on the 10th turn, and completed it on the 11th and final corner on the 72nd lap. Earlier in the race Stewart battled Robby Gordon, who lost his chance to win last year when his in-car Stewart got away from Gordon's Chevrolet with a quick restart one-third of the way through the $3.6 million event, and did the same thing to Newman when the green flag waved following caution periods that ended on the 76th and 82nd laps. He survived one more restart after Kenny Wallace crashed hard into the foam wall on the 87th lap to bring out a race-halting red flag while the barrier was repaired. The race went green for a final lap -- after a delay of 12 minutes, 45 seconds -- but Stewart got the jump and drove away. Defending race champion Jeff Gordon, seeking to win for the fifth time in six years on the track, wound up 22nd. Series leader Sterling Marlin, beset by an engine problem, finished 30th. He leads 10th-place finisher Mark Martin by 53 points in the overall standings. Stewart led a race-high 34 laps, averaging 76.165 mph in an event slowed for 18 laps by seven caution flags. There were 12 lead changes among nine drivers. Scott Pruett was sixth, followed by Jeff Burton, Todd Bodine and Michael Waltrip.