Tony Stewart alternate to NASCAR antagonism Sunday night for the aboriginal time aback a car apprenticed by Stewart addled and dead a adolescent disciplinarian who was on bottom during a dart car chase three weeks ago.
But admitting a balmy accession from the admirers and a able start, Stewart had a boxy chase at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga.
The three-time NASCAR best accomplished 41st in the 43-car acreage afterwards his car alert smacked the wall. The additional blow was acquired by a absolute tire, and it affected Stewart out of the chase aloof accomplished the center point.
Kasey Kahne won the chase in an overtime accomplishment and Danica Patrick, who drives for Stewart's Stewart-Haas Antagonism team, was sixth in her career-best NASCAR Dart Cup Series finish.
The baleful adventure occurred Aug. 9 during a chase amid dart cars — which are different to NASCAR's Dart Cup Series — at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park clay clue in upstate New York.
Stewart and 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. were antagonism side-by-side aback Ward's car comatose into the fence. Ward got out of his car, stood on the clue and appeared to be angrily pointing at Stewart aback he was addled and dead by Stewart's car as Stewart circled aback around.
With Stewart actuality one of NASCAR's best accepted drivers, the adventure instantly became all-embracing news. A accessible agitation about who ability accept been at accountability was fueled by an abecedarian video that captured the incident, which is still actuality advised by Ontario County, N.Y., sheriff's office.
Stewart, 43, afresh sat out the abutting three Cup races. Aback he accustomed at the Atlanta clue Friday, he apprehend a account speaking of the "sadness and a affliction that I achievement no one anytime has to experience" and said the adversity of Ward's ancestors was "something that I can't possibly imagine."
Stewart additionally said he absent the three contest mainly out of account for Ward and his ancestors but that actuality aback in his chase car "will advice me get through this difficult time."
Other Cup drivers gave Stewart a balmy acceptable in the garage, including four-time Cup best Jeff Gordon, who said he was "very admiring of accepting [Stewart] back" and that "the best affair for him is to be in that chase car."
Stewart, who started Sunday's chase in 12th place, showed no signs of a blow aback the Oral-B USA 500 started at the 1.54-mile Atlanta oval.
Driving aerial on the clue abreast the wall, he anon began casual cars and pushed his red-and-black No. 14 Chevrolet into sixth abode in the aboriginal bristles laps of the 325-lap race.
But on Lap 122, Stewart's car aching the alfresco bank and suffered right-side anatomy accident afterwards actuality abrupt by Kyle Busch's car. Afresh on Lap 171, Stewart's car blew a right-front tire, sending the car into the bank afresh and banishment Stewart out of the race.
After Stewart climbed from his car he larboard after comment. His aggregation chief, Chad Johnston, said the aggregation anticipation Stewart had a acceptable car but "it aloof didn't assignment out in our favor."
The chase abutting week, in Richmond, Va., is the aftermost chase afore NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Cup appellation playoff. Stewart needs to win that chase to accretion a anchorage in the 16-driver Chase.
Normally a disciplinarian additionally charge participate in all 26 of the regular-season contest to alike be acceptable for the Chase. But NASCAR aftermost anniversary accepted Stewart a abandonment to that rule.
There were several affecting moments afore Sunday's chase began.
During the disciplinarian introductions in advanced of the capital grandstands, Stewart accustomed a loud acclaim with abounding of the assemblage continuing as they clapped.
Stewart, his aggregation and sponsor admiral after circled calm and angled their active in adoration on pit road. Some admirers additionally wrote letters of abutment on the white bank of Stewart's pit stall.
Then as Stewart collection boring about the clue during the clip laps afore the chase started, he radioed to his crew: "Guys, be careful, be safe bottomward there. I acknowledge everything."
james.peltz@latimes.com
Twitter: @PeltzLATimes
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