Austin Dillon to replace Stewart at Michigan

Austin Dillon will replace the injured Tony Stewart in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevy this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Stewart, who broke his leg in a sprint car race last week in Iowa, also missed Sunday's race at Watkins Glen International, where he was replaced by Max Papis. Stewart was released from the hospital Sunday.

Dillon, 18, the 2011 NASCAR truck series champion, is leading this season's Nationwide points standings. He has two Nationwide victories this season.

SHR hasn't announced who will replace Stewart, who could miss the rest of the season, at Bristol, Tenn., on Aug. 24.

“I’ve watched Austin for many years and at each stage of his racing career he’s been successful,” Stewart said in a statement. “He’s proven to be a very fast learner, and he’s able to adapt quickly. Being the youngest champion in the history of the Truck Series is proof of that. His background in dirt racing is an asset, and off the track we share many of the same interests, specifically, hunting and fishing. I know he’ll perform well at Michigan and I’m just as confident in his ability to properly represent Mobil 1 and Bass Pro Shops throughout the race weekend.” -- David Scott

What Max Papis thought about as a substitute driver for Tony Stewart

   Max Papis substituted for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart on Sunday and finished 15th.

   Asked about his run:
   Papis: “I felt that we were definitely in bound to have a top 10 finish.  Really glad that Greg Biffle came over and apologized when he turned me around he said it was totally his mistake. I think that really cost us a solid top 10. Beside this I drove the wheels off the car every lap. Super proud of keeping the seat of Smoke (Tony Stewart) as warm as I could. I felt I did a pretty good job and I’m proud of myself.”

   What happened late in the race with the No. 9 (Marcus Ambrose)?
   Papis: "I don’t know. The guy was sideways going up the hill. I mean I’m going up the hill. I touched him I turned him, not on purpose obviously. I think that something broke in the back of his car. I guess. Pretty weird deal. It was not a good thing.”
  
   All things considered, an 'A' day? 'B' day? How do you look at it?
   Papis: "A+"

The race track where Jason Leffler lost his life plans to honor him

   The "Night of Wings" at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey on June 12 was suspended after NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died following an accident in a sprint car during the night's racing activities.

    The speedway has decided to reschedule the event for Sunday, Sept. 8, and with a much greater purpose - to honor Leffler's memory and raise money to support Leffler's son, Charlie Dean.
 
   Most of the original 410 Sprint Car drivers who were in attendance in June night have agreed to return to not only support this race, but honor their former fellow driver. They will be joined on the card by the TSRS Sprints.

   Admission is free but it is suggested fans donate at least the regular admission price of $13. All admission donations will go to a fund set up to help care for Leffler's son. There are also plans to have raffles throughout the night to raise additional funds.

   Those fans who were in attendance in June will be able to turn their general admission tickets into special VIP tickets. Preferred seating will be established and these fans will also be admitted to the speedway one hour before everyone else.

   For more information, contact the speedway at (856) 467-4407.

What made Dale Earnhardt Jr. sick to his stomach

   NASCAR's most popular driver didn't mince words when asked Friday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International about his reaction when he first heard Tony Stewart got hurt racing at a dirt track on Monday and would be out for a while.

 

   Here was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s answer:

 

    “I was just real sick to my stomach about it. I woke up for some reason at five o’clock in the morning, which is rare and I just couldn’t sleep so I grabbed my iPad and that was the first thing that I saw and I just couldn’t believe it. I felt like I must have been dreaming. Tony (Stewart) is one of my competitors and you really aren’t supposed to have, you really aren’t supposed to have the kind of admiration I guess that I have for Tony as he is my competitor. You want to go out there and beat him on the race track and he’s fun to race with, he’s a hard racer and he takes it as good as he can get it. A lot of guys can’t take it very well. You all know what kind of guy he is so I won’t go on and on about it, but I hated it for him just knowing what being out of the car is like and knowing how much he loves what he does and loves how much he enjoys driving no matter what it is," Earnhardt said.

 

"I know he feels bad, you know. He hates to put his company and team in this situation and he personally is a bit upset and saddened. Just knowing the kind of guy he is, I hate that he has to go through that and I know they’ll be a lot of pain and rehab and things like that he will have to face and that’s unfortunate and you hate to see people have to deal with that.  He’s tough though, he’s really, really tough and everybody knows that he’s just going to beat the hell out of this and get back in the car before you know it. He’ll probably be back in the car before the doctors want to let him in. I don’t anticipate this really slowing him down at all.”

 

Stewart has successful second leg surgery; out indefinitely

   From Stewart-Haas Racing:

   KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (Aug. 8, 2013) – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart underwent a successful second surgery on his right leg Thursday, Aug. 8 after suffering a broken tibia and fibula in a sprint car crash Monday night, Aug. 5 at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

   The first surgery, which happened early Tuesday, Aug. 6 in Iowa, served as a preliminary procedure to stabilize and clean the Grade 2 injury. The second surgery, by a specialist in North Carolina, involved inserting a metal rod inside the tibia, pressing it to its anatomic position.

   Stewart will remain hospitalized for observation. A discharge date has not been determined.

   Stewart’s injury will sideline him indefinitely from driving his No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team he co-owns with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas.

   Veteran racer Max Papis is serving as the interim driver for Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event Aug. 9-11 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. An interim driver has not been determined for the following race Aug. 18 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, or for any future races.

   Stewart was leading the 30-lap American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) feature at Southern Iowa Speedway when a lapped car spun in front of him. Stewart hit the lapped car and flipped.

One driver can clinch a spot in the Chase this Sunday. No guessing allowed

  One championship contender – Jimmie Johnson – can clinch a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Sunday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

    The five-time Cup champion is the only driver holding a clinch scenario this weekend. Johnson has to leave The Glen with a 193-point lead over the 11th place driver. Currently, he holds a 178-point lead over 11th, which is occupied by Tony Stewart.

   Stewart will miss Sunday’s race after breaking a leg in a sprint car race on Monday night, and will be replaced by Max Papis in his No. 14 Chevrolet on Sunday. Reigning Cup champion Brad Keselowski is 12th, 180 points behind Johnson. Johnson is the only competitor to have qualified for the Chase field in all nine seasons.

   A win at The Glen will guarantee Johnson at least a wild card entry. 

Is Tony Stewart's injury the 'straw that broke the camel's back'?

   Former NASCAR Cup champion and Speed TV analyst Darrell Waltrip was asked Tuesday whether Tony Stewart’s injury will cause more NASCAR Sprint Cup owners to prohibit their drivers from competing outside their fulltime rides.

   Here is Waltrip's response:

   “When an injury happens to a driver of Tony’s magnitude -- one of the sport’s most visible superstars -- such as when Dale Earnhardt’s death spawned safety innovations, everyone takes a closer look.  We already were questioning the wisdom of racing in other series, especially sprint cars.  But I think Tony’s injury probably is the straw that broke the camel’s back," he said. 

   "Some owners and drivers now might decide it’s too risky and curtail this.  When Tony has time to evaluate everything, he might come up with some safety innovations that could make sprint-car racing safer.  Anytime something like this happens to someone like Tony, everyone will benefit down the road.”