CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tony Stewart will not race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, skipping a second straight NASCAR Sprint Cup race since striking and killing a driver in a dirt-track race at a small New York track. Stewart announced the decision in a statement Thursday. His plans for the rest of the season have not been determined. Jeff Burton will drive Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet in Michigan. Stewart also sat out Sunday at Watkins Glen, a day after he struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car event in Canandaigua, New York. After Stewart clipped Wards car, sending it spinning, Ward got out of the car during the caution period, walked down the track and was hit by Stewart. Wards funeral was Thursday in Boonville, New York. He died of blunt force trauma. Stewarts dirt-racing career is on hold, and he could face criminal charges. Stewart has not commented since he made a statement Sunday. "There arent words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr.," Stewart said in the statement. The three-time NASCAR champion is winless and 21st in the Cup standings this season. He would have needed a victory in one of the final four races to have a chance to become eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Its not clear what sitting out does for Stewarts Chase chances. NASCAR rules says a driver must either qualify the car or race the car each weekend. NASCAR does have the power to grant a waiver. Stewart has 48 career Cup wins in 542 starts. Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said that investigators dont have any evidence at this point to support criminal intent. The investigation could last another two weeks. His sponsors have stayed with him as the investigation unfolds. Mobil 1 has served as the primary sponsor of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevrolet for 19 of the 22 Sprint Cup Series races this season. "The investigation continues, and we are monitoring the situation," ExxonMobil spokesman Christian Flathman said Thursday. Regan Smith started for Stewart at Watkins Glen and finished 37th. Burton made only two starts this season, the last coming in July at New Hampshire. The 21-time Sprint Cup winner parted ways with Richard Childress Racing at the end of the season, and Ryan Newman replaced him at RCR. Burton works as an analyst for NBC. Rocky Colavito Jersey . "After consultation with the Team USA medical staff and officials, it was determined that he should return to Winnipeg as a precaution due to his previous injury history," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Wednesday in a statement. Bucky Harris Jersey .J. - Percy Harvin is ready to go, and theres no question in his mind hell be playing Sunday. https://www.cheaptigers.com/369z-brad-au...sey-tigers.html. This week, topics cover the World Series champion Red Sox, John Farrell and what to look forward to this off-season. Gates Brown Jersey . -- Theres something about playing on Orlandos floor lately that seems to bring out the best in the Dallas Mavericks. Stitched Tigers Jerseys . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season.KITCHENER, Ont. – The field is now set for the Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials next month in Winnipeg. The final two spots on both the mens and womens side were wrapped up in Kitchener this past week with a few surprising teams, especially on the womens side – taking the next step in their curling careers. The biggest one came from Val Sweeting and her Edmonton rink, who upset two-time Scotties winner and former world champion Kelly Scott in the second qualifier. "Based on where we were sitting coming in, we knew we had a good shot, we had a good start to the season and we just knew we had to play well," said Sweeting after the biggest win of her career. Joanne Courtney is the second on the team – throwing third rocks – and says she thought the team was finally ready to make the next step going into the week. "Weve actually been playing quite consistently, having decent results on tour. We were close. We werent winning, we werent making semis, but we felt we were playing consistently and starting to play well," said Courtney."Its the biggest game any one of us has ever played in our entire lives and we were able to go out there, stay together and put together a game that was good enough to win." Renee Sonnenberg of Grand Prairie, Alberta also advanced to the Trials by defeating Scott in the first qualifier. The 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, Shannon Kleibrink, and the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, Cheryl Bernard, were both unable to make it to the qualifying matches. On the mens side, it was more of what people expected. John Morris and his new rink from Kelowna, B.C., formerly led by Jim Cotter, who still throws skip stones, dominated all week, going undefeated. The defending Brier champ Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie rink topped Brad Gushue of Newfoundland, 7-6 in the final qualifier. "It feels like weve been here for a month, it really does," said Jacobs. The event was a tough one for the team, having to play in the second qualifier after losing a sloppy game to Morris in the first, but Jacobs said thats just how they do things. "We bounce back really, really well and I just think its because we all have the same goal in mind and we all want to win so badly that well do whatever it takes," said the 28-year-old skip. With their Brier dream already croossed off, Jacobs says theyre ready for another accomplishment – Olympic gold.dddddddddddd "The Olympics and the Brier for me as far as goals, wanting to win and importance is 50/50. Weve won the Brier; this [Olympics] is the next step. We want this really bad," he said. "You etch your mark in history when you win the Brier, but I think you do that even moreso when you win an Olympic gold medal." Gushue knows what it means to be an Olympic champion. He won it as a 25-year-old in 2006, alongside veteran Russ Howard, Mark Nichols and Jamie Korab. Fast-forward eight years later, Gushue has a completely new – and younger – team. Third Brett Gallant, 23, second Adam Casey, 24, and lead Geoff Walker, 27, make up one of the youngest squads in curling and Gushue says it will take time to click. "This team wasnt probably ready to win this year anyway. Were still young, we still make stupid mistakes and it cost us this week," he said. Having said that, Gushue likes the path theyre on. "I think were only going to get better. I think there are a lot of teams out there right now that probably are on the downside of the longevity of their teams," said the owner of a Menchies Frozen Yogurt franchise. "I think theres a lot of upside in our team and what we can do. Were going to regroup from this and learn from it and try to get a little bit better." Its easy to see curling is going through a transitional period with younger teams like Jacobs and Rachel Homan quickly rising through the ranks. Yet a lot of the top rinks still have skips who are in their 40s or 50s, namely Glenn Howard, Kevin Martin and Jeff Stoughton. "There are a lot of good, young players [in the game], fortunately for me I have three of them on my team and Im not that old myself," said Gushue. Sweetings rink is a youthful group as well but Courtney doesnt believe being young is an advantage when it comes to curling. "There are two sides of the coin there," said the 24-year-old. "The older teams have a lot more experience in this type of setting – the arena, being on TV, being micd, all those type of things. I dont know really if age plays a ton." The Roar of the Rings Olympic Trials run from Dec. 1-8 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg with complete coverage on TSN and TSN2. ' ' '