[B][I]Jenna Fryer of The Associated Press, Jeff Gluck of USA Today, and NASCAR.com?s David Caraviello are now relaying word from Stewart-Haas Racing that three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart suffered a broken right tibia and fibula and underwent surgery on his leg following a sprint car crash Monday night at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Stewart will miss at least this Sunday?s Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International and a replacement driver has yet to be determined at this time. The Associated Press reports that a further update on Stewart?s condition is expected for later this afternoon, and that SHR has canceled their scheduled test today at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Stewart was leading a 30-lap feature race at SIS when, according to a report from Andy Hamilton of The Des Moines Register, he and two other drivers, Tasker Phillips and Tony Shilling, were collected by a spinning Josh Higday. An awake and alert Stewart was then placed on a stretcher for precautionary reasons and taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance.
Stewart is currently 11th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship and one of the two drivers holding Wild Card transfer spots into the Chase for the Sprint Cup with five ?regular season? races remaining.
His injury comes one week after he came out unscathed from a scary incident at the Ohsweken Speedway in Canada, which saw Stewart flip multiple times in a sprint car race. He came back and raced at Ohsweken the next night.
Chris Estrada[/I][/B]
With all the wrecks and flips he’s had over the last couple of weeks I guess it was just a matter of time before it all caught up with him. It kind of sucks because he’s barely on the edge of making the Chase. He’s pretty much out of it now. I guess he won’t be doing any more splits and eating soda cookies for a while. Get well soon Tony… Give em hell next year…
I suggest they replace him with Jackie Stewart… I bet the little guy could still get the job done and they only have to remove the first name on the car…
I wouldn’t put any money on Tony being out of the chase yet. If there’s any way he can get into that car Sunday, run the first lap, and put in a ringer, someone like Robbie Gordon, in the car, it might be do-able. Do the same thing at the other tracks. No, his car won’t win the races, but they’d have to be points racing. I’d try my best to get Kyle Larson in the seat if there were any way possible. And no, they wouldn’t win the chase, but he might be in it. Just my thoughts. Tony’s tenacious, like a pit bull with a bone. Don’t get in his way. billy
Actually, you couldn’t have a better track to be at this weekend for Tony than Watkins Glen… If he can somehow make a lap, there should be plenty of time to make a driver change… Doesn’t even need to qualify since only 43 cars are entered…
Also heard Tony fired his Sprint Car crew chief because the last thing he said to Tony before the race started was “break a leg!”
I’d say there’s virtually zero chance of him running a lap. He broke both bones. He’s going to be in a hard cast from the knee to around his foot to hold his ankle still, since moving the ankle moves those bones. Even if he wanted to nascar’s doctor isn’t going to clear him to drive in a full cast.
They also haven’t really said how severe it was. It could have been full on bone-sticking-out compound. There could be muscles torn up and more damage.
Just announced: Max Papis will drive Tony’s car at WG. Tony Stewart remains in hospital after surgery overnight to repair a broken leg. Injury will require a second operation.
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