Did fat Stewart lose weight for run at Indy 500?

Did a buff and shaven Tony Stewart clean up his act to make a run at the Indy 500 or was he tired of looking like a slug?

Asked recently why he decided to drop some pounds before heading into the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season, the driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, Stewart grinned before answering.

"I just wanted to feel better, actually," Stewart said. "I'm realizing I'm not 20 any more. I'll be 40 in May. It was just me sitting down and saying, 'Hey, I've got to pay better attention to this.'

"And honestly, Mark Martin is probably the greatest inspiration to all of us in this series on this. He's one of the most fit people out there — especially for his age. He's heads and shoulders above most of us in fitness. He's a good mentor, and a guy to look up to. You look at him and say, 'Hey, he does it. I can do it, too.'

"I know we have a heck of a schedule, but he's found a way to make that part of his daily routine. That's really kind of part of my inspiration."