Race Weekend Central

Tony Stewart Sitting Out at Michigan, Jeff Burton to Drive No. 14

Tony Stewart will again be absent when the Sprint Cup Series takes the green flag this Sunday.

Stewart-Haas Racing has announced that Stewart, who was involved in a fatal sprint car accident in upstate New York state last weekend, will not compete in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Sprint Cup Series veteran Jeff Burton will pilot the No. 14 Mobil1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in Sunday’s race.

Michigan will make the second race in row that Stewart has missed in the aftermath of the fatal sprint car accident last weekend in Canandaigua, N.Y., that claimed the life of Kevin Ward, Jr. Regan Smith sat in for him at Watkins Glen but will be at Mid-Ohio this weekend for the Nationwide Series event there.

“This driver change pertains only to Michigan. Stewart’s plans for upcoming Sprint Cup races have yet to be determined,” the team noted in a release.

Stewart-Haas Racing will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. ET tomorrow at Michigan International Speedway. NASCAR also announced that Robin Pemberton, vp of competition, will also hold a news conference an hour earlier at 9 a.m. ET to address last weekend’s accident and NASCAR’s response to it.

Stewart missed the final 13 races of last season after breaking his leg in a sprint car accident last year.

About the author

Justin starts his second year with the Frontstretch in 2014, responsible for Sprint Cup news in our e-newsletter twice a week. Also a Frontstretch Power Rankings contributor, he acts as “super sub” filling in for various columns throughout the season. He resides out in Missouri.

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