Whilst the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has presented us with no end of drama, there can have been few more unfortunate moments than when it was announced that the three-times champion Tony Stewart suffered a painful back injury whilst riding a dune buggy in San Diego in January.
It shows that things rarely go to plan in the NASCAR arena, as although Tony Stewart is the hero of the sports betting world and should have been on course for his fourth Sprint Cup Series victory, the accident has let young challengers like Brad Keselowski in with a real chance of denying the veteran another racing triumph.
The star has already made a lasting impression on the NASCAR world with his outspoken personality nearly matching his on-track exploits for drama and controversy. But 2016 was meant to have been a memorable year for Stewart, as ever since he announced his retirement in 2015, the 45-year old has been keen to show that he still has what it takes to reign supreme in the world of NASCAR motorsport.
And the star has certainly shown some impressive determination on the track since he returned with some strong performances in Pocono and Watkins Glen, as well as a very credible second place finish at New Hampshire.
But despite these returns to form, Stewart faces an almost impossible challenge if he’s to rise up the odds at sports betting sites like Coral who’ll be sceptical as to whether the driver can help his Stewart-Haas Racing team and improve upon his current fifteenth position in the drivers’ standings.
With just weeks until the final Ford Ecoboost 400 race takes place in Florida, it’s inevitable that it will be drivers like Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., and Kyle Busch who will provide the most fascinating battles in the race for Sprint Cup Series title.
However, such is the legend surrounding Tony Stewart’s name that the driver will never be too far away from the headlines. Although the star is undergoing further back surgery in December, he’s already announced that he’ll be willing to compete in no less than 40 to 50 races next year.
Whilst most of these races will inevitably be on dirt, there’s still a good chance that the Stewart will take part in the Knoxville Nationals in August 2017 where he’ll be looking to beat Jason Johnson’s impressive 2016 victory and provide a few more upsets in the sports betting world and beyond.
