With Tony Stewart officially out of the Chase for the Cup, NBCSports.com reported that the embattled driver now can run the final 10 NASCAR in relative quiet.
While it's true that Stewart would have made huge headlines had he won one of the two races that would have allowed him to qualify for the Chase, it's hard to believe that the attention on his final performances will be any less just because he's not in NASCAR's playoff.
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In fact, all eyes will be monitoring whether any of the old Tony Stewart competitive spirit returns in these last 10 races. If not, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Stewart could be done as a race-car driver.
He clearly is not the same after the Aug. 9 tragedy in which he hit and killed Kevin Ward Jr. in a dirt-track race in New York. Ward was angry after his car and Stewart's car collided, sending Ward's car into the wall and ending his race.
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He got out of his car and walked toward Stewart's car, motioning at Stewart as if angry. When Stewart drove by, his car caught Ward on the right side, hit him and hurled him 50 feet where he was killed instantly.
Stewart said the incident will affect him for the rest of his life when he returned to racing in Atlanta after a three-week absence, and his finished 41st after crashing.
Stewart fared much better last weekend in Richmond, where he finished 15th. But USA TODAY Sports reported that halfway through the race, Stewart radioed to his team, "I think this is going to be the longest night of my life. Whew!"
Part of what made Stewart such a success as a driver was his fiery demeanor in the race-car. Another NBCSports.com article wondered how the three-time Sprint Cup champion could recapture the edge that made him a great competitor.
"It's also hard to imagine how Stewart will ever return to the Smoke of old, the way his fans know and love him by," NBCSports.com stated.
So to think he can race under the radar is a bit foolish. He most certainly will continue to remain under the microscope, especially with the police investigation still going.
How Stewart fares in each race the rest of the season will be studied extensively as to whether he can recapture his desire for racing.
Until the investigation and the season conclude, his racing future remains very much in doubt.
Do you think Tony Stewart will ever regain his edge as a fiery competitor? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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