Tony Stewart hospitalized with back injury after ATV accident

 

  

Tony Stewart through the years

Tony Stewart, born May 20, 1971, in Columbus, Ind., is a three time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2002, '05, 11), the 1997 Indy Racing League (IndyCar) champion and the 1995 USAC Triple Crown champion.  Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports

Tony Stewart has been hospitalized with a back injury sustained while driving an all-terrain vehicle on the West Coast, team spokesman Mike Arning told USA TODAY Sports in an email.

Stewart's team released a statement Tuesday that indicated the three-time NASCAR champion was injured in a non-racing accident.

Stewart-Haas Racing said Stewart was transported to a local hospital following the accident and is awake and alert. However, the exact location of the accident was not disclosed.

Stewart, 44, is able to move all extremities, the team said.

Arning said another update will not be issued until Thursday afternoon when more information about Stewart's injury is known.

The co-owner of SHR and driver of the No. 14 car is retiring from NASCAR after this season.

Drivers are expected to start preparing for NASCAR's biggest event - the Daytona 500 - next week when SpeedWeeks kicks off with the Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 13. Stewart is qualified to drive in that exhibition as a past winner. The Daytona 500 pole will be decided the next day, with the race Feb. 21.

Stewart has not won a Daytona 500 in his decorated 17-year career, one of the few superlatives missing from his resume.

During a preseason media tour in Charlotte last month, Stewart expressed hope for how his final Cup season might unfold.

"The biggest thing is we want to have fun this year," Stewart told reporters. "My performance hasn't been on par the last two years. If we can just make improvements this year, I think we're going to consider that a great season."

In August 2013, Stewart was injured in a sprint car crash during a race in Iowa. He slammed into a car that had stopped on the track and shattered his right leg, forcing him to miss the remainder of the NASCAR season that year (15 races).

A year later, Stewart struck and killed driver Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race in upstate New York after Ward Jr. had spun out and walked angrily down the track toward Stewart. Stewart sat out three races following Ward Jr.'s death. Following an investigation, Stewart was not charged with any wrongdoing but is facing a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Ward Jr.'s family.

Meanwhile, Stewart's results have declined dramatically on the track. He won at least one race in the first 15 years of his career but is now winless in the last two. He suffered through the worst season of his career in 2015 with only three top-10 finishes and had career lows in several other major categories.
Last September, Stewart announced 2016 would be his final NASCAR season. He was set to enter the season with a new crew chief (Mike Bugarewicz) and a fresh start, although his back injury may now threaten his farewell tour depending on its severity.

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