‘Smoke’ Is Back: Tony Stewart To Return To Racing At Richmond International Raceway
On Thursday, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart announced that he’ll be back behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
Well, the long wait is over. I'll be back in my @Mobil1 Chevy this weekend at Richmond. I can't wait to race again ????? #SmokeWillRise
— Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) April 21, 2016
On Jan. 31, Stewart suffered a burst fracture of his L1 vertebra while racing off-road vehicles in sand dunes in Southern California. Stewart said on Wednesday that he has resumed physical activity including operating heavy machinery on his Indiana ranch but could not continue racing until his physicians gave him the OK.
“As soon as the doctors said they were happy with my scans, I wasn’t going to wait any longer to get back in my racecar,” Stewart said in a statement released Thursday by his team Stewart-Haas Racing. “I’ve been on the sidelines long enough.”
The Dr's said my scans "looked much better than they thought they would after 3 months". So they cleared me #SmokeWillRise
— Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) April 21, 2016
Smoke claims to retire at the end of the year after spending 17 seasons in NASCAR. Stewart currently has 48 career wins.
Fellow driver Jamie McMurray commented on Stewart’s return, saying it will be a great surprise for the fans at Richmond.
“I’m really excited for him,” McMurray said. “I’m glad that he gets to come back. I know that he didn’t think he was going to be back this quick, so it’s just really good news.”
Brian Vickers and Ty Dillon replaced Stewart for the first eight races of the season. Vickers was originally scheduled to drive the No. 14 at Richmond. Dillon will now be on stand-by for Stewart this weekend, reports ESPN.
NASCAR granted Stewart a waiver to be eligible to participate in the Chase for the Sprint Cup because he has not competed every week. Last year, Kyle Busch received a waiver after missing the first 11 races due to injuries he suffered in the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona.
“NASCAR received the appropriate medical clearance documentation allowing Tony Stewart to resume normal racing activities,” NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O’Donnell said in a statement. “We also have granted the request from Stewart-Haas Racing for a waiver for Tony to be eligible to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. As he begins his final season, we wish Tony the best of luck.”
Stewart said he expected to get the waiver.
“I would assume that it would fall right in line with that,” Stewart told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t know why it wouldn’t. I guess it’s not really been on my radar because I just assume that it’s going to be the same criteria to get in,” he continued. “I don’t think there will be much attention unless we win a race. If we win a race, then I think there will.”
Smoke may be wheeling the No. 14 Chevrolet this weekend, but he has already planned to only start the race at Talladega, tag-teaming Dillon early on in the race.
“We’re taking a strategic approach to my return,” Stewart said in a statement. “Richmond is a track where I feel very comfortable and because it’s a short track, the speeds are substantially less. The Goodyear test in Indy is sort of a controlled environment, allowing me to get more acclimated with my car at higher speeds. We’ll start the Talladega race to get the points, but understanding the style of racing and the higher potential of getting involved in an incident, we thought it was best to minimize the amount of time I’m in the car. I’ll return fulltime at Kansas [the following week] and enjoy every moment I can in my final year of Sprint Cup.”
Stewart plans on participating in a Goodyear tire test next Tuesday and Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I appreciate everyone’s patience and all the support they’ve given me the last couple of months, but the best medicine will come this weekend at Richmond when I finally get to go racing.”
[Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images]
