Tony Stewart Chase watch – Nascar

RELATED: Coverage of Stewart’s accident, comeback | Updated Chase Grid

Tony Stewart returned from a back injury in April and the three-time champion is in pursuit of one of the 16 spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in his final season. Here’s a look at where the driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet stands in his pursuit after the season’s 11th of 26 regular-season races.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED

The two-time Kansas winner proved why he’s so good at the 1.5-mile track, just missing the top 10 with a 12th-place finish. “Smoke” even led for 12 laps while a cycle of green flag pit stops was taking place. 

WHAT HE NEEDS
Stewart has received a waiver from NASCAR for Chase eligibility. The sureest way into the Chase is by winning before the end of regular season (at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 10) and climb into the top 30 in the points standings. En route to his 2015 championship, Kyle Busch faced a similar path after missing the first 11 races with a leg injury. Currently, Stewart is 37th in the standings, 59 points behind Regan Smith for 30th place.

WHAT’S NEXT
“Smoke” heads to Dover International Speedway for the AAA 400 Drive for Autism race on May 15 (1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The 1-mile track has been the site of three of Stewart’s 48 wins, including his most recent win in 2013. In addition to the three wins at the “Monster Mile,” Stewart also has 11 top fives and 17 top 10s in 33 starts there.

MORE: See all of Stewart’s wins | “Smoke” granted Chase waiver