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Tony Stewart to miss Michigan NASCAR Sprint Cup race too

Tony Stewart will miss this weekend's Michigan NASCAR Sprint Cup race, with Jeff Burton driving his Stewart-Haas Chevrolet instead

Stewart also withdrew from last weekend's Watkins Glen round after the Saturday night sprint car incident in which Kevin Ward Jr was killed.

Ward was struck by Stewart's car while walking on the track at Canandaigua Motorsports Park to remonstrate with the three-time Cup champion following a collision between them.

A police investigation into the incident is still ongoing, although Ontario County Sheriff Phillip C Provero said "there are no facts or evidence that would support a criminal charge" at a media conference last weekend.

Ward's funeral took place on Thursday.

Stewart has also pulled out of a sprint car event that he was due to contest at Plymouth Speedway in Indiana during the Michigan weekend.

Michigan will be Cup veteran Burton's third appearance of the year. Having retired from full-time competition, he is contesting occasional events with Michael Waltrip Racing as he switches to a broadcasting career.

Stewart is currently outside the cut for the Cup series' Chase title shootout.

Although drivers have to attempt to qualify for all 26 rounds of the pre-Chase season in order to be eligible for the championship, the regulations do allow flexibility in exceptional circumstances.

A Stewart-Haas statement said that Burton's Michigan outing was a one-off for now.

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