Stewart says his back may have been injured before he broke it

“I think what I learned after the race (is) I really think that my back was messed up before it was broke,” Stewart told Fox Sports TV broadcaster Kenny Wallace before Sunday’s race at Talladega, Ala.

“I think what the surgeons did was fix that. I feel better than I did last year at this time as far as my back is concerned. (I’m) still having to be a little bit patient. That's why we have to alter the plan for today.”

Stewart suffered a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra on Jan. 31 while driving a sand rail in the Glamis Sand Dunes of the California desert. He had corrective surgery and sat out the first eight races of the Sprint Cup season. Stewart’s doctors cleared him to return to competition just before last weekend’s race at Richmond.

"We've got to be careful"

Stewart started Sunday’s GEICO 500 but was scheduled to exit his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet at the first caution of the race and turn the driving duties over to Ty Dillon. The swap took place on Lap 52 after Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne wrecked out of the race.

"It sucks to be honest," he said after getting out the car. "I know why we got to do it, but it sucks. It still sucks that you have to do it but if I hadn't broke my back at the end of January, we wouldn't be in this situation. Good news is this is last time we have to do it and I am back in next week.

"I really appreciate Ty (Dillon). He's been a rock star through this whole thing and especially this weekend. He's done all the heavy lifting and I just got in to ride around for 50 laps and turn it over to him. Fortunately we got the Lucky Dog and kept him on the lead lap.  The change went pretty smooth - no drama there so we got him so he could go out there and race now."

Stewart after this weekend’s plan, he will be back full-time in his No. 14 next weekend at Kansas Speedway.

“No driver wants to start the race and not finish it. It’s a tug-of-war. You get up and you are in the mindset that you are going racing,” he said. “The reality is, I’m going to get in the car and drive to the first pit stop and – or the first caution, that is, and no matter whether it’s Lap 2 or 82, I will stay in until we get the first caution. Ty will finish it off.

“The important thing is to get the points today. That's the reason to start the race in the first place. We need to get those points to try to get back up to 30th (in the driver standings).”

To qualify for the Chase, he would need to win at least one race and be in the top 30 of the driver standings to utilize the win.