Back in pack of points race, Biffle and Stewart optimistic

LAS VEGAS -- Nobody should be surprised if Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart turn today's UAW-DaimlerChrylser 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway into a rerun of the race two weeks ago at California Speedway.

Biffle and Stewart were the class of the field at California, only to wind up in the back of the pack after late-race engine failures.

That left Biffle, who was the Cup runner-up last year, 38th in points after the first two races of 2006. Defending champion Stewart is 22nd. But neither driver seems worried.

"You know what, our whole team feels really, really good about last week -- like we won almost," Biffle said. "Spirits are high because the fact is that we have good race cars and we're running very well. And that's the key.

"We had great pit stops, we had a great pit strategy, we had the fastest car for most of the day. Tony Stewart was a little faster at times, but that is the confidence we need to keep going race after race."

Instead of worrying about the last race, Stewart is thinking about the big picture -- NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup championship, a 10-race playoff at the end of the season that will include the top 10 drivers in the standings and any other driver within 400 points of the lead after the first 26 events.

"With the way the point format is, we've got 24 weeks to get it done," Stewart said. "We don't have to worry if we're 600 points out, as long as we're in the top 10. So, you can have a disappointing day, as far as your finishing position."

Biffle won the pole Friday with a speed of 172.403 mph around the 1.5-mile tri-oval.

It was just the second pole of Biffle's career.

Tony Stewart qualified second at 172.068, followed by Jimmie Johnson at 171.597.

Johnson is the guy to beat so far this season, winning at Daytona and finishing second at California.