NASCAR: Stewart cleared to return at Richmond

Tony Stewart shocked the NASCAR community on Thursday, announcing his return to the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

"Well, the long wait is over," Stewart said via a tweet. "I'll be back in my @Mobil1 Chevy this weekend at Richmond. I can't wait to race again."

Stewart added that scans of his back looked much better than his doctors anticipated three months after injuring himself while driving an all-terrain vehicle in California. As a result, he was cleared to compete and will begin his final season on Sunday in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond. 

NASCAR wasted little time in granting Stewart a waiver to compete for a spot in the Chase for the Championship, announcing Thursday that Stewart will be eligible.

“NASCAR received the appropriate medical clearance documentation allowing Tony Stewart to resume normal racing activities," NASCAR said in a statement. "We also have granted the request from Stewart-Haas Racing for a waiver for Tony to be eligible to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. As he begins his final season, we wish Tony the best of luck.”

The sanctioning body requires drivers to attempt to compete in every race unless he or she receives a medical exemption. Stewart himself received a waiver back in 2014 after a sprint car accident in New York took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. when he charged Stewart's car during a caution period. Kyle Busch received one last season en route to winning the championship. 

Stewart told media at a Wednesday sponsor event that he expected the criteria for the waiver to be in line with Kyle Busch's situation last season.

"I don't think there will be much attention unless we win a race," Stewart said. "If we win a race, then I think there will be a lot of attention with it. I'm going to go drive the race car this year. ... I've got a lot of catching up to do. Most of all, I want to have fun this year."

Stewart will only qualify and start the following weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and will swap out with Ty Dillon at some point early in the race to minimize the risk of further injury in a restrictor plate environment.

He will take part in a Goodyear tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway April 26-27.

“We’re taking a strategic approach to my return,” Stewart said in a statement released through Stewart-Haas Racing. “Richmond is a track where I feel very comfortable and because it’s a short track, the speeds are substantially less. The Goodyear test in Indy is sort of a controlled environment, allowing me to get more acclimated with my car at higher speeds. We’ll start the Talladega race to get the points, but understanding the style of racing and the higher potential of getting involved in an incident, we thought it was best to minimize the amount of time I’m in the car. I’ll return fulltime at Kansas and enjoy every moment I can in my final year of Sprint Cup.

“I appreciate everyone’s patience and all the support they’ve given me the last couple of months, but the best medicine will come this weekend at Richmond when I finally get to go racing.”

It's been nearly three months since the three-time champion suffered a burst fracture of his L1 vertebra, which sidelined him for the first eight races of the season. He said he was going only 5mph at the time.

He was replaced on an interim basis by Dillon and Brian Vickers.

Clint Bowyer will inherit the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Motorsports entry for the 2016 season.