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Stewart relishes final Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After missing the first eight races of the season due to a back injury, Tony Stewart is back in the top 30 rankings for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. A win at Sonoma on June 26th not only snapped 84 race winless streak for Smoke, but it gave him some much needed confidence.

“I feel like we’re gaining ground on it, gaining momentum, that win totally changed the rest of our season,” said Stewart.

Stewart announced this will be his final season racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, meaning the Brickyard 400 will mark the last time the Columbus, Indiana native will race the number 14 car around Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Ever since my early years of racing, that’s all I ever wanted to do was come here and race, so to think that it’s now been 20 years racing at Speedway, it’s been a really cool ride,” said Stewart.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has always been a special place for Tony Stewart, and now it has even more meaning, as IMS has dedicated a dirt track in Tony Stewart’s honor for the upcoming Brickyard.

“It’s pretty cool, I have never had anybody start from scratch and build a dirt track because of me,” said Stewart. “So it is a big honor.”

Stewart has racked up countless awards and accolades in his 17 years as a NASCAR driver. And as he looks back on his career, Smoke recalls more than just the wins and losses.

“I think the one thing that I hope that everybody sees, I may not have won in everything, but I was competitive in everything that we ever drove. Hopefully people remember that I was just a racer,” Stewart said. “That’s the one thing, if you could just say he’s a racer, that’s what means the most to me.”