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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tony Stewart does not consider the Daytona 500 a disaster, despite the engine problems that spoiled his return to racing from a broken right leg. The three-time NASCAR champion wound up 35th in the season-opening race, but he logged enough laps during Speedweeks that he feels good going into the upcoming stretch of seven consecutive races. Stewart missed the final 15 races last year after breaking his leg in two places during a sprint car crash in Iowa. His first time back in a race car was Feb. 14, the day before he competed -- and was crashed out of -- the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. He also raced in the Budweiser Duel before the 500, giving him 672 miles of racing in three events. Stewart goes to Sundays race at Phoenix International Raceway "a lot more confident than I was before we got to Daytona." "I think having all the races that we ran, and actually getting in a crash, while not a great thing, allowed me to sort of test my leg and it felt good," Stewart said in a Stewart-Haas Racing team release. "There have been some little things that have felt a little different, but for the most part, its felt like an old pair of tennis shoes that youre just comfortable with. I think the whole time in Daytona exceeded my expectations of what I hoped it would be like." But the 500 itself was a letdown for SHR. Stewart had the engine issue and Danica Patrick was involved in a crash and finished 40th. It left only Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, the two newcomers to the organization, in contention for a solid finish and both had difficulties at the end. Busch wound up 21st and Harvick was involved in the final accident of the race and finished a team-best 13th. Stewart said Sundays race at Phoenix will be a better indicator of where the team is than Daytona, one of only four restrictor-plate races on the schedule. "Daytona and Talladega have always just been two different forms of racing," Stewart said, referring to the necessary teamwork and drafting. "What happens at Phoenix and the races after that has to be done on your own. You cant help each other at Phoenix. You just have to go race." He likes his chances at Phoenix, where he has one win, eight top-fives and 12 top-10s in 23 career starts. Hes completed all but 14 of 7,257 laps on the 1-mile oval. But PIR is also the place that pushed Stewart into becoming a full-time race car driver in 1993. Still working eight-hour days at $5-an-hour at a machine shop in Columbus, Ind., Stewart headed West to run USAC Silver Crown season-opening Copper World Classic. He qualified second to Davey Hamilton, then led 31 of 50 laps before finishing second to Mike Bliss. Stewart earned $3,500 that day -- a payout that convinced him running the Silver Crown, Sprint and Midget races across the nation that year sounded a lot better than returning to the machine shop. He never looked back, learning how to adapt in every kind of car he drove out of "fear that Im going to have to get a real job if Im not successful. "To think that it all kind of started at Phoenix, I guess you could say its the place where my career came full-circle," he said. Chaussure Vans Pas Cher . A day after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said three stadiums would not be ready in time for the Dec. 31 deadline, Brazilian officials said they actually plan to deliver all six remaining venues after that date. They claim only three are delayed, with the other three being handed over after the expected date only because of problems accommodating the schedule of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who wants to be present for the ceremonies. Vans Pas Cher Destockage . -- What Anthony Jennings lacked in experience, LSU more than compensated for with a talented supporting cast in the Outback Bowl. http://www.paschervans.fr/. The 29-year-old German, the 2011 overall World Cup champion, says she has decided "to end my career now. Vente Chaussure Vans Pas Cher . And once again, Team Homan emerged as the victor with the reigning national champions defeating Team Sweeting at the Pintys All-Star Curling Skins Game Friday night in the tournaments opening draw at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park. Chaussures Vans Authentic Soldes . And all things considered, the first 40 games have offered a little bit of everything from a hockey club that faced many questions in its first year under new management, with a new head coach and with a number of new faces in the lineup. However, with a recent dip in scoring, it seems some of the same old questions persist and several new ones have been raised after a somewhat troubling homestand.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Coach Mike Smith keeps searching for ways to fix the Atlanta Falcons, and nothing seems to work.Since finishing 10 yards shy of the Super Bowl two years ago, the Falcons have been a model of dysfunction on the field.They are 9-21 over the last two years and have lost three of five entering Sundays game at New Orleans.Every time we go out there, we know what were up against and how were going to be evaluated, Smith said on Monday. So it hurts, but weve learned from those losses and weve learned from what happened yesterday.Victories over the Saints and Carolina would make Atlanta 7-9 and give Smith his third NFC South title in seven seasons.That might be hard to imagine considering how poorly the Falcons have played this year, but their division is one of the weakest in league history.We all understand where were at, Smith said. We know we control our own destiny. It doesnt matter what anyone else does. The first thing we have to do is go down and play very well and win the game in New Orleans.Falcons owner Arthur Blank hasnt said publicly if the coach will return next year, but Smith insists that hes not fretting about job security and is focused solely on helping Atlanta beat the Saints.It wont be easy. Smith is 1-5 at New Orleans, 4-9 in the series.The playoffs start for us right away, running back Steven Jackson said. Its going to be a tough one on the road, but well be ready for it.Smith will need to coach a nearly perfect game and avoid clock management gaffes that allowed Detroit and Cleveland to kick last-second winning field gooals.ddddddddddddAgainst the Steelers, Smith decided to punt from the Atlanta 25 on fourth-and-two late in the fourth quarter. Sending the NFLs most porous defence back on the field turned out to be the wrong move as the Steelers consumed the final 4 minutes, 34 seconds to win 27-20.When you dont win, its not fun, Smith said. Its not fun for the players. Its not fun for the coaches. Its not fun for our fans. Ultimately, theres one guy held accountable for it, and thats the head coach.Quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw an interception against Pittsburgh that cornerback William Gay returned for a 52-yard touchdown, could help Smiths cause by playing a mistake-free game.Ryan has thrown a pick in each of the last four games. It marked the third time this year that hes had an interception returned for a TD.It was just kind of a tough play, Ryan said. I let it go and certainly thats a decision you cant make. I cant do that. It stops there.Notes: Starting CB Robert Alford was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a broken wrist. Alford, a second-draft pick in 2013, was injured last month at Carolina and underwent surgery on Monday. ... Smith said he anticipates that WR Julio Jones, the NFLs second-leading receiver, will be ready to go Sunday. Jones suffered a hip injury late in a loss at Green Bay two weeks ago and didnt play in Sundays home loss to Pittsburgh. ... Smith wasnt sure if SS William Moore (foot) and RG guard Jon Asamoah (back) will be able to practice this week.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '