DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway last night was NASCAR's 18th race of the season, marking the unofficial end of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series' first half.

And boy, it couldn't come quickly enough for Tony Stewart.

Sure, Stewart -- often considered a second-half racer because of his history of late-season success -- sits ninth in the points standings, prime for a solid finish at one of his favorite tracks and another run toward the Chase.

But that's not good enough for the two-time Cup champion (in 2002 and '05). Especially considering all that has happened this year.

As in: Three races ended early by wrecks. Four finishes of 35th or worse. Continuous rumors and speculation about the status of his Joe Gibbs Racing contract, which is up after 2009 (he declined to address such talk this week).

And just when his No. 20 Toyota began to dominate -- Stewart led the most laps a week ago at New Hampshire -- his team was foiled by something way outside its control.

Rain.

At least it wasn't lightning.

"I'm scared to get in cars, planes, everything," said Stewart, whose rain-soaked pit strategy sank him to 13th. "I mean, I'm scared to walk through open doors, without looking before I walk through. It's the oddest year I think I've ever seen.

"I've never seen us have a string of bad luck like this."

Then again, that's the thing with luck. You can't help it. Plus, it changes.

And change is what Stewart is counting on, beginning at this season's second Daytona race. Last year, all three of his wins came in the second half. Stewart twice has won the track's July race, in 2005 and '06. He never has won the Daytona 500, but he took the white flag this year before a late push by winner Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch dropped him to third.

Also, there's something to be said about Stewart's recent runs.

"We're getting some of that consistency back," said Stewart, who had consecutive top 10s before New Hampshire. "To have that kind of success the last couple weeks, even though we didn't finish with a win, it's at least some comfort knowing that we're getting back on track."

"We showed everybody we can still do this. It's just a matter of getting everything to fall in line again."

Stewart isn't the only top driver -- or former points champion, even -- struggling a bit this year.

Last week's winner, 2004 champion Kurt Busch, won that race on strategy and sits 18th in the standings and 222 points behind the Chase cutoff 12th. Another champion and 2007 Chase racer, 2003 Cup winner Matt Kenseth, also is outside the top 12 (in 13th; 15 points shy of Kevin Harvick).