HUNTERSVILLE, N. Tucker Barnhart Jersey .C. -- For Tony Stewart, there was no greater joy than escaping his everyday life and climbing behind the wheel of a sprint car. He loves the feel, the way they drive, the purity he finds at all the tiny dirt tracks across the country. When he broke his leg racing his sprint car a year ago, an injury that sidelined him for six months, he was almost defiant in his desire to never give up his hobby. But after the death of Kevin Ward Jr., who was killed when Stewarts car struck him as Ward walked on an upstate New York dirt track on Aug. 9, Stewart may never get back in a sprint car. I would say its going to be a long time before you ever see me in a sprint car again, if ever. I dont have any desire at this moment to get back in a car, Stewart told The Associated Press in his first interview since a grand jury decided he would not be charged in Wards death. If I had the option to go right now to a race, I wouldnt. I dont even know when Ill go to a sprint car race again to watch. I can promise you its going to be a long time before you ever see me back in one. Sitting on his couch Thursday night in his Huntersville, North Carolina, home, a sprint car race in Arkansas was on mute on his television. Stewarts eyes were constantly drawn to the action. He cant help himself. Its where he came from, how he made his name and the one form of racing he simply couldnt walk away from, even as he was criticized for jeopardizing his lucrative NASCAR career by messing around in the dirt. He just couldnt give it up. Not when he became a multi-millionaire and one of NASCARs biggest names, not after good friend Jason Leffler was killed in a sprint car race last year, and not after his own injury led to three surgeries, a month in bed and forced him to miss NASCAR races for the first time in his career. Stewart is addicted to the simplicity of sprint car racing, to racing at venues across the country where the crowd is starving for gimmick-free racing. He didnt care that a field full of drivers of varying ages and talent were racing for purses that rarely reach $5,000. He made it his goal to give back to the sprint car community at every turn, especially after his accident. He improved the part that broke and caused his broken leg, and spent $110,000 on firesuits and helmets for nearly 50 drivers who needed updated safety equipment. Stewart even paid for the embroidery on the firesuits. His only request? That his Tony Stewart Racing logo be placed in a position that would not be noticed during interviews. Stewart has been grappling with the decision to leave sprint racing since his 2013 crash at an Iowa dirt track. Hed only returned to sprint car racing one month before Wards death. Its hurt for 16 months to sit and be scrutinized for it, said Stewart, and to try to give back to a sport that you love, and every time you turn around, youve got to constantly defend yourself for doing something and trying to support something that you believe in and care about. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion, spent three weeks in seclusion at his Indiana home after Wards death and describes those weeks as the darkest of his life. On the advice of legal counsel, Stewart would not describe what he remembers about the crash at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, but insists what happened was 100 per cent an accident. Ward and Stewart had been racing for position when Ward crashed, exited his vehicle and walked down the dark track in an apparent attempt to confront Stewart. A toxicology report found Ward also had marijuana in his system. Wards family has said the matter is not at rest, and Stewart may still face a civil lawsuit. Stewart wants to discuss the accident, and said not being able to talk about what happened keeps me from moving forward. It just stays there, hanging over my head. Its just been a really tough six weeks. I went to go have fun for a night, and thats not what ended up happening. Ward and Stewart didnt know each other, and Stewart doesnt recall them ever talking. He laments that in the scrutiny that followed -- some questioned if Stewart had tried to intimidate Ward for stepping on the track -- that the loss of the 20-year-old driver and his promising career fell to the background. He said he cant imagine how the Ward family is feeling, doesnt blame them for anything they may say about him, but hopes to someday get the chance to sit with them and talk about that night. I would hope they understand -- maybe they do, maybe they dont, maybe they never will -- that I do care, he said. Ive tried to be respectful of their process of grieving and not push myself on them. Im sure they have things that they want to know what happened and I think its important for them at some point to hear it from my point. Stewart believes his past -- previous eruptions have included him throwing a helmet at another car, shouting and shoving matches, and sharply worded dressing downs -- has played heavily into how the public has viewed Wards death. But he doesnt believe he has a problem with anger, and did not have a problem with Ward that evening. Anger had nothing to do with what happened that night, Stewart said. I wasnt angry with anything or anybody. He is back at NASCAR events after missing three races. But when not at the track, he barely leaves his house. A day feels like a month. His mind wanders, his emotions get the best of him. At stake now is a streak of a winning at least one race every year of his Sprint Cup career, and Stewart has just eight more chances this season to get to Victory Lane. Its a mark he can focus on to help his healing, and he insists his heart and his head are up to the challenge. If it doesnt happen, it doesnt happen. Theres going to be a lot bigger things at the end of my life that are going to matter more than my Cup career, he said. But youve got to have goals, youve got to have something to push for, youve got to have a reason we do this. Its nice to have something to focus on again. Custom Cincinnati Reds Jerseys . According to a report from ESPN, the Green Bay Packers have re-signed the cornerback to a four-year, $39 million deal with a $12. Pete Rose Jersey . Louis against the Blues. The Canucks picked up their second straight victory in the swings opener on Tuesday in Calgary before getting routed in Minnesota last night, 5-1. http://www.redsgearshop.com/Reds-Reggie-Sanders-Kids-Jersey/ . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Baltimore Orioles try to draw closer to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East tonight when the divisional foes continue a four-game set at Camden Yards. Baltimore trimmed the Blue Jays lead atop the division to 3 1/2 games on Thursday, as Delmon Young hit a two-run homer to help the Os take a 4-2 win. The Orioles handed Mark Buehrle his second straight loss, knocking him around for eight hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings to help Baltimore win for the third time in four tries. Toronto will send righty Drew Hutchison to the mound on Friday, with a 4-4 records and a 3.96 ERA. Hutchison was roughed up his last time out on Sunday against St. Louis, as he gave up five runs and six hits in three innings. Hutchison could get himself righted on Friday, as he owns a 2.03 ERA in eight road starts compared to an 8.72 ERA in five home outings "Hes definitely pitched better on the road -- and some guys are like that," Gibbons said after Hutchisons latest turn. "Its hard to put a finger on it. But you cant pitch them on the road every time." The scuffling Blue Jays have lost five of their last six on the heels of an 18-3 stretch. Theyve also managed just nine runs in that span. "As hot as we were, we were going to cool off sooner or later," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Well get it going. Were too good of an offense. Well be OK." In the series opening victory over the Blue Jays, Kevvin Gausman (2-1) picked up his second win in a row, allowing a run on five hits and three walks over six frames. Cliff Pennington Jersey. The former first-round pick was coming off his first win as a starter on Saturday against Oakland, when he struck out six in seven innings and gave up just four hits and one run. "He didnt quite have the command he had last time out," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter, "but thats kind of hard to duplicate." Buehrle (10-3) remained tied with Yankees rookie Masahiro Tanaka for the MLB lead in wins. He also lost to St. Louis on Saturday despite giving up just one run in seven innings, snapping a seven-start unbeaten streak Baltimore may have a hard time shrinking Torontos lead even more on Friday, as it turns to righty Ubaldo Jimenez, who has lost his last three decisions and is coming off an awful showing his last time out. Jimenez was banged around by Oakland on Sunday to the tune of six runs and two hits with five walks in just 2 1/3 innings, as he fell to 2-7 to go along with a 5.01 ERA. Jimenez had faced the minimum batters through two innings before the wheels came off in the third. "I started so good the first couple innings, and then that inning I lost the ability to throw a strike," Jimenez said. "Its one of those days. Its a really tough game." Jimenez is 2-2 in six starts versus the Blue Jays with a 5.23 ERA. Baltimore has won four of its seven matchups with the Blue Jays this season. Cheap Denver Nuggets Jerseys Cheap Minnesota Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Oklahoma City Thunder Jerseys Cheap Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys Cheap Utah Jazz Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Clippers Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys Cheap Phoenix Suns Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Dallas Mavericks Jerseys Cheap Houston Rockets Jerseys Cheap Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys Cheap New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys Cheap San Antonio Spurs Jerseys Cheap Golden State Warriors Jerseys ' ' '