Tony Stewart will get back behind the wheel of the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet this weekend as he returns at Richmond International Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400.
Last year the three-time NASCAR Champion announced that the 2017 season would be his final year behind the wheel as a driver in the Sprint Cup series. His farewell season was put on hold as he sustained a serious back injury away from NASCAR in January of this year.
Today (4/21) Tony made the announcement that he will be the driver of the #14 Chevrolet this weekend via his Twitter page:
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
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
Thanks for everyone’s support & well wishes. @Mobil1 @BassProShops @RushTruckCenter @Code3Associates @CocaColaRacing @TeamChevy
— Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) April 21, 2016
Brian Vickers and Ty Dillon have been filling in for the driver/co-owner of the Stewart Haas Racing team. Brian was scheduled to be in the car this weekend before Tony made today’s big announcement.
NASCAR.com reports that Tony said in a team release, “We’re taking a strategic approach to my return. Richmond is a track where I feel very comfortable and because it’s a short track, the speeds are substantially less.”
Tony will also participate in a Goodyear tire test April 26-27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The Goodyear test in Indy is sort of a controlled environment,” Tony explains, “allowing me to get more acclimated with my car at higher speeds.”
The next step will include Tony practicing and qualifying the #14 Chevrolet for Talladega. He will start the race before climbing out and allowing Ty Dillon to take over in the race. “We’ll start the Talladega race to get the points,” Tony reveals, “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.”
The driver known as “Smoke” says he will return full-time to the Sprint Cup series the week after Talladega, “I’ll return full-time at Kansas and enjoy every moment I can in my final year of Sprint Cup.”
NASCAR has cleared Tony to race and has granted him a waiver making him Chase eligible.
NASCAR.com quotes NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell as saying, “NASCAR received the appropriate medical clearance documentation allowing Tony Stewart to resume normal racing activities. 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.”
Of course, just like Kyle Busch last year, Tony will have to get into the top 30 in the point standings (and remain there at the end of the regular season) and win a race in order to make the Chase Grid.
Welcome back to the track Smoke!
By: Buck Stevens
