Tony Stewart eliminated from Chase, won't get storybook finish to career

DOVER, Del. – Tony Stewart’s final Sprint Cup season will not end in storybook fashion, at least not with a title.

The three-time champion of NASCAR’s highest division was eliminated from championship contention at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, along with Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray and Chris Buescher.

Before the race, Stewart told his team over the radio: "We will give 110 percent the whole day ... this one race is not going to define the season this team has had."

The 45-year-old, who qualified for the 10-race playoff by winning at Sonoma Raceway — his first victory since 2013 — began the race 15th in the 16-driver Chase field, 11 points behind the 12th and final transfer spot. Stewart finished 13th Sunday, 11 points behind the 12th spot.

Tony Stewart: 'I've had my fill of fighting the fight' vs. NASCAR

Stewart missed the first eight races this year after suffering a broken back while driving in a sand car in Southern California before the start of the season. While Stewart showed glimmers of his former performance level this summer before and after his win in June, the results for his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet were lackluster in the Chase. He finished 16th in the opener at Chicagoland Speedway and 23rd last week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Earlier this week, Stewart said he was going to concentrate on getting the best possible finish at Dover and not worry about where the other Chase drivers stood.

“We’ve just got to go do the best we can this weekend and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “I look at it the realistic way I have to look at it. You don’t want to wish bad luck on somebody else to begin with, because it’s not right. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen.

“You hope when it’s over, you did your job. If we stick to our guns and do our job right, hopefully we can win the race. If we don’t, hopefully we were in a scenario where we gained enough points to get to the next round. But if not, it’s over.”

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Contributing: Jeff Gluck