With 13 races left in the season and the Chase For the Sprint Cup about to start, Tony Stewart will end his season due to a broken leg, and has hired veteran 55-year-old Mark Martin to finish the rest of the season for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Stewart had his right tibia and fibula surgically repaired after crashing while competing in a sprint car race, in Iowa, on August 5th.
"This isn't a situation anyone wanted, but we're going to make the best of it," said Stewart in a statement. "In the meantime, my focus is on getting healthy and getting back."
Martin will take over the #14 for 12 races while Austin Dillion will take the helm for the October 20 race at the Talladega Superspeedway. Martin, who is good friends with Stewart outside the track, was Stewart-Haas Racing's first choice to replace the three-time Sprint Cup champion.
"A lot of people reached out to us, and we're very thankful for obviously everybody wanting to have that opportunity," said Stewart-Haas Racing director of competition Greg Zipadelli. "Mark just seemed to be the fit. Him and Tony, they've got a bond. Tony was very excited about it. That was his first choice, so that's what we went after."
Martin, who had been competing with Michael Waltrip Racing throughout the season, admits this kind of situation is unusual - with manufacturers, sponsors, and teams all working on the same page to make such a switch possible so late in the season.
"I haven't seen this much cooperation in the past, and I think it was largely in part for the incredible amount of respect that everyone has in the sport for Tony Stewart," Martin said, who will be replaced by Brian Vickers behind the wheel of the #55 car Martin was driving throughout the season.
Martin takes over the #14 ranked 13th in the owners standings, tied with Martin Truex Jr at 653 points, in position to qualify for one of the two wild-card berths in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which begins September 15th at Chicagoland Speedway.
"With Mark coming on board, it gives us the window to go to the end of the year and feel like we are doing our partners the best job we can to fill Tony's shoes," said Zipadelli.
Stewart expects to be back behind the wheel by next preseason and in time to compete in the opening race of the year.
"We expect a full recovery by Daytona or close to it. You know, it may be able to be done earlier, it's just not worth it," said Zipadelli. "It's a bad break to the leg, and he needs time to go through the process of healing, rehabilitation, all those things."
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