Tony and Britney?

The date may be April 1st but according to British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mirror, there may be romance in the air between defending Winston Cup Champion Tony Stewart and Pop Star Britney Spears.

Never ones to print a scurrilous rumour or untruth(!!), The Mirror's notorious gossip-mongers 3am 'heard' that Spears was somewhat 'smitten' by the 31-year-old Rushville, Indiana native when the two met during the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway.

The column, which may have stemmed from a previous call to the equally notorious Howard Stern Radio Show in the United States, recognised Stewart as a "5ft 9' former karting Champion," neglecting to mention his Indy Racing League Championship, 15 NASCAR Winston Cup victories and 2002 Series Championship.

In the column's favour (and Stewart's), Spears IS a self-confessed NASCAR fan and recently took part in the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She is also looking to undertake a movie about NASCAR racing in which she plays a Winston Cup team owner.

However thanks to the intrepid reporting of the 3am girls and their forever 'handily placed spies,' Stewart fans all over the world learned that when he isn't driving the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot Chevrolet (a big kart?) he can be found eating his mum's spaghetti and listening to Dire Straits.