In the wake of the fatal sprint car accident involving Tony Stewart- Kevin Ward Jr., Stewart is grieving, saying he won’t get back into a sprint car for a long time. For Stewart, racing is his life and to continue the healing process, he needs to get back on the proverbial horse and do what he loves: sprint car racing.

Aug. 9 changed Stewart’s life forever when he struck and killed driver, Ward Jr. at the Canadiagua Raceway Park.

“All I thought was what happened and asking yourself, why?” Stewart said in a press conference Sept. 29.

Scrutiny from the media and the overwhelming shock of the situation forced Stewart to take a three-week leave of absence from racing while he collected his thoughts.

The media swarm and blamed Stewart for the accident when clearly Ward Jr. ran by his car, causing Stewart’s wing to clip Ward Jr., throwing him to the ground.

Stewart said, “It was 100 percent an accident”.

Stewart is afraid and haunted by the accident. Who wouldn’t be?

He’s hurting, and rightfully so, but he needs to get back into his car.

After the accident, he had to force himself out of bed to eat. He has a lot of support and outreach from his fans and family, which is just what he needs to get back on track.

Stewart has presented himself to the media as a humble and apologetic man, even reaching out to the Ward family.

Stewart also said at his press conference that he doesn’t need to talk to the Ward family for closure, but if it helps them to talk to him, he’s all for it.

Racing is Stewart’s life, as he doesn’t have kids or a wife. So what else is he living for?

He’s raced his whole life. It’s natural therapy for him. It’s what he loves and it’s who he is.

The grand jury’s decision to acquit Stewart doesn’t change the reality of the situation and the fact that Ward Jr. had marijuana in his system at the time of the accident, doesn’t make it easier to swallow.

Stewart will never fully recover from this but once he gets going and his life starts to return to somewhat of a normalcy, things will get better and we’ll see the vibrant, abrasive, fun-loving, in your face guy we all know and love.

One day Stewart will be back in a sprint car. When that day comes, it will be a great day for racing, especially for Stewart, he’ll walk with his head high with the swagger and confidence that Stewart usually posses that race fans have come to love.