Tony Stewart To Retire After 2016 Season

Citing unnamed people, Motorsport.com and ESPN said they had confirmed Sunday evening that 2016 will be Stewart’s last season, and Stewart-Haas Racing later announced a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.

Bowyer now is driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, but that team is ending operations after this year.

Stewart, who finished 11th on Sunday at New Hampshire, did not return a request for comment from AP.

For months, the NASCAR garage has been buzzing about a plan that would see Tony Stewart retire after 2016 and Clint Bowyer take over the seat of the No. 14 Chevrolet beginning in 2017. Bowyer is expected to drive for HScott Motorsports in 2016.

Stewart admits that, following those incidents, he’s not the same driver that won three Sprint Cup championships and 48 races since 1999.

He missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season with a broken leg. Ward had gotten out of his auto and was gesturing at Stewart, with whom he was angry for bumping his vehicle, at the time of the collision.

Stewart’s driving career is without question Hall of Fame material. He left JGR after the 2008 season and has been driver and part-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing ever since.

Stewart is finishing the worst season of his decorated career, lacking a single top five finish with eight races to go in 2015. Stewart, 25th in points, missed the playoff this year along with teammate Danica Patrick. He last won a Cup race on June 2, 2013, at Dover worldwide Speedway.

Also missing this season – and perhaps because he has not found himself in many competitive situations on the track – has been Stewart’s sometimes fiery personality which has led to a slew of run-ins with NASCAR officials, media and competitors over the years.