CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Tony Stewart is a man at peace as he heads into the final season of his NASCAR career.
He is satisfied with what he has accomplished and has no regrets about the three glaring holes on his resume. Stewart is also adamant that his struggles the last two years, on and off the track, have nothing to do with his decision to retire at the end of this season.
The three-time NASCAR champion reiterated Thursday he will race in other series after this year – but not the Indianapolis 500, he insisted – and his decision to leave the Sprint Cup Series is simply about giving himself more free time to pursue everything that has been on hold the last three decades.
“I’m still going to race, I just don’t know how much yet,” Stewart said. “The nice thing is I’ll have some flexibility to go do some other things I want to do.”
First up on the bucket list: He wants to attend the Formula One race in Monaco with co-owner Gene Haas, who will field an F1 team beginning this season.