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Tony Stewart speaks candidly says being at track helps

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — NASCAR driver Tony Stewart spoke publicly Monday for the first time since a grand jury chose not to indict him for a deadly crash on a dirt track.

Stewart crashed into Kevin Ward Jr. and killed him at the Canandaigua, New York, Motorsports Park in August.

He said he called media together Monday because he wanted to let people know what has been going on the past six or seven weeks.

Stewart spoke candidly about the whole ordeal and said he sought professional help after the accident to help deal with his grief.

WATCH RAW VIDEO: Tony Stewart says being at track has helped him

He said he did not know Ward before the accident happened.

"I think he had a promising career as a Sprint Cup driver," Stewart said.

When asked if he needs to talk to the Ward family to have closure, Stewart said he wants to be available to the family if they need closure.

"The one thing that's helped me more than anything is being back at the race track," Stewart said.

Stewart said if he could have done anything differently he would have stayed at Watkins Glen.

A reporter asked Stewart if he has ever considered stopping driving in Sprint car races. Stewart said he's not ready to answer that, but said he won't be in one for a while.

He said the situation has given him opportunities to think of other aspects of his life besides profession.

"I really didn't do much of anything to be perfectly honest," Stewart said of time after accident. "I just sat there for days on end asking questions and trying to come to terms with how it happened and why it happened," Stewart told the media.

Stewart said he has let his team down as far as being a steward for race team.

When asked about Ward's positive toxicology results Stewart said, "A young driver lost his life. It didn’t matter why."

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