Stewart-Haas Racing has scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday at the teams Kannapolis, N.C., headquarters, at which time driver and team co-owner Tony Stewart is expected to announce that 2016 will his last season behind the wheel, sources with knowledge of the situation told FOXSports.com on Sunday night.
Gene Haas, Stewarts partner, will attend the news conference, the team confirmed.
Motorsports.com first reported Sunday night that Stewart would retire and sources confirmed the report to FOXSports.com. Stewart will be replaced in 2017 by Clint Bowyer , who will be a free agent this coming offseason after Michael Waltrip Racing closes at the end of the year.
Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and one of auto racings most versatile drivers, has struggled over the last two seasons after suffering a debilitating double compound fracture of his right leg in a sprint car accident in Iowa in August 2013.
In August of last year, Stewart was racing in a sprint car event in Upstate New York, when his car struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward, who had crashed, climbed out of his car and ran towards Stewarts car. Stewart was exonerated of criminal wrongdoing, but Wards parents filed a wrongful death civil suit that is still pending.
In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com two weeks ago at Richmond International Raceway, Stewart declined to speculate about his future, saying he wasnt ready to discuss his plans. But now, hes prepared to make the change.
As a driver, Stewart has an impressive resume: Three Sprint Cup championships, 48 race victories and 182 top-five finishes in 582 career starts in NASCARs highest level. Stewart also holds championships in the Verizon IndyCar Series, the now-defunct IROC Series and USAC, where in the same season in 1995 won the sprint car, midget and Silver Crown series championships.
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updated by @johnny-mallonee: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
