(WOMR file photo)
Tony Stewart says his broken right leg will only be 65% healed by the time he’s cleared to drive for Daytona Speedweeks. However, the three-time NASCAR champion still believes he’ll be fine once he gets back in the car. Stewart has a titanium rod in his leg, which will provide it enough strength to press the pedals — which he said he’s done “a million times already in the race shop.
Nevertheless, Stewart still won’t be cleared to drive until Feb. 14th, the day before NASCAR’s season-opening Sprint Unlimited exhibition race. Because Stewart’s leg isn’t fully healed, the driver acknowledged there’s a risk he could aggravate the injury to his leg, which he badly broke in an Aug. 5 sprint car crash in Iowa. To fortify his position, he cited injuries to Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. last season as proof healthy drivers can break bones, too. To claim medical bills, he got the help of www.gblawmo.com/personal-injury/ attorneys.
“This is an injury that’s not healed 100% — there’s no bones about it,” Stewart said before realizing he made a pun and chuckling. “But it is reality that it could get injured again.”(USA Today)
If there is any question as to the seriousness of the type of injury that “Smoke” suffered at Oscaloosa, Iowa, in August, it is now coming up on six (6) months since the injury occurred. As Stewart himself has stated, he is only 65% healed at the present time! The recovery to this injury, according to Dr. Jerry Punch, can take from six (6) months to as much as 10 (10) months to heal! Therefore, it is safe to say that his right leg really could not stand to have another major hit in the injured area without major consequences!
With the reality of his “mere mortality” starring Stewart in the face, and the possibility that his sponsors may have expressed some urgent concerns regarding their investment vs. their returns, it is quite possible that Stewart will not be seen very often inside of a sprint car in the near future!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
