It is now almost four months ago when on August 5th Tony Stewart shattered his tibia and fibula bones in his right leg during a sprint car accident in Iowa. Still the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has major pain as the healing process continues.
His doctors say the pain, which makes it hard for him to sleep, is his nerves working overtime to heal the shattered leg. The physical pain that Stewart is still feeling is concerning to whether Stewart will be able to be ready for the season opening races at Daytona International Speedway come February but he still feels confident that he will be in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.
“They [doctors] say we’re on schedule and they haven’t flinched from it, even after the third surgery,” Stewart said. “That one was a three-week setback, but we were a little ahead at that time so it just kind of put us back to being on time. Right now, there’s no drama. Barring any new infection or something stupid we have to go in and fix… everything should be fine.?”
The injury is still painful for Stewart physically but mentally it also has taken its toll on a man who lives for one thing and that is being in a race car. He missed the final 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the 2013 season and if there is a set back in his recovery that forces a delay to his return he could end up missing races to start the 2014 season.
The new season will be one of change at Stewart-Haas Racing with Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch joining Stewart and Danica Patrick to make a four-car team. It should be one of the top teams across the board in 2014 with its driver lineup challenging Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing as the best in the garage area. But having the 42-year-old Stewart 100 percent healthy from the get go will certainly help solidify that.
If everything goes to plan and stays on schedule Stewart will be one of the hungriest drivers on the Sprint Cup circuit in 2014. Not being able to drive a car in competition for the better part of half a year will have Stewart chomping at the bit to perform and win races more than ever. Don’t expect to see any rust.
Wouldn’t it be a great story if Stewart can return and win his first career Daytona 500 in his 16th try? It could happen.
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