Tony Stewart has never been one to shy away from media attention but lately it seems that every time I hear about Tony Stewart I hear about his "bad luck" this season. Sure, luck is an element in racing and in a strange sort of way the luck-factor is what appeals to many fans but NASCAR is much more than luck. Tony Stewart has seen better days but the negative press that Stewart has garnered may be getting ahead of itself.

The #20 Home Depot Toyota has found itself in a rut lately but take a look at the standings and many big name drivers find themselves in the same boat. Tony Stewart has been busy deciding on his future at Joe Gibbs Racing but he has still managed to stay in the top 12 and managed to keep the #20 Toyota in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Frankly, it's too early in the season to start making bets on the Chase but taking a look at his performance from a different perspective, Stewart could certainly be in worse shape.

Among his teammates at JGR, Stewart is a laggard this season. Stewart is almost 500 points behind his teammate Kyle Busch but we've got to remember that Busch is currently the Sprint Cup leader. The numbers may look bleak in this sense but you've got to remember who he is being compared to.

Compared to all drivers currently in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Stewart is in the eleventh position with 1551 points. At the start of this season few fans, including myself would have guessed that Kyle Busch would be leading in the points but the way that the 2008 season has played out has befuddled many early predictions.

When Tony Stewart was interviewed prior to last Sunday's race at Dover Intl. Speedway the first thing he mentioned was that he was tired of being introduced as the driver who hasn't won this season. Less than an hour after that interview Stewart was caught in a massive wreck that ruined his race along with several other top drivers who suffered a similar fate on "The Monster Mile."

Stewart has a good car (Busch has proven that) and Stewart himself has proven that he can win. The #20 Toyota has hit a bottom and whatever Tony Stewart decides to do with his career, look for him to improve his performance over the coming summer months.