Tony Stewart will alpha 12th in his acknowledgment to NASCAR's Dart Cup Series on Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)

HAMPTON, Ga. – Tony Stewart, abiding to antagonism this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, was in the top 20 in both Saturday convenance sessions for the Oral-B USA 500.

Stewart was 18th fastest in Saturday afternoon's final practice, a affair led by Matt Kenseth at 188.251 mph. In the day's aboriginal practice, Stewart was 15th.

Stewart's speeds abode him able-bodied aural the ambit of drivers who could claiming for the win Sunday night (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), back he will alpha 12th.

Stewart, winless this season, sat out the accomplished three Dart Cup contest afterwards his car hit and dead disciplinarian Kevin Ward Jr. in a dart car chase Aug. 9 in upstate New York.

Stewart charcoal beneath analysis in the afterlife of Ward Jr. On Friday, Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said in a account the analysis would abide for at atomic addition two weeks.

USATODAY

Gluck: NASCAR acceding Tony Stewart abandonment clouds rule

A achievement in Sunday night's chase or abutting Saturday's regular-season afterpiece at Richmond International Raceway would put Stewart into the Chase for the Dart Cup. NASCAR appear Friday that it would admission Stewart a abandonment -- a aphorism barring aloof for medical or abnormal affairs -- to accord Stewart an accessible aperture to the 16-driver Chase field. He charge win one of the abutting two races, however.

USATODAY

As Tony Stewart allotment to race, sponsors counterbalance support

The disciplinarian of the No. 14 Chevrolet and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Antagonism is a three-time Cup champion, in 2002, 2005 and 2011. He has three wins at this 1.54-mile layout.

USATODAY

Tony Stewart: 'It will affect me forever'

Joey Logano led Saturday's aboriginal convenance with a acceleration of 189.351 mph and was additional to Kenseth in the final practice.

PHOTOS: Tony Stewart through the years

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide