NASCAR Cup Series

Announcement on Tony Stewart's plans possible for Thursday

Published Aug. 28, 2014 9:30 a.m. ET

Tom Jensen

As of 9 a.m. ET Thursday morning, the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department does not plan to release any new information Thursday on its investigation into the death of Kevin Ward Jr., a department representative told FOXSports.com.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Stewart-Haas Racing said if there is an update Thursday on who will drive the No. 14 SHR Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, that announcement would come late this afternoon.

Tony Stewart has missed the last three races following an accident that claimed Ward's life in a sprint car race in northern New York.

Ward, 20, died Aug. 9 after being struck by Stewart's sprint car at an Empire Super Sprints Series race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

Ward was racing Stewart when he crashed into an outside wall. After he crashed, Ward got out of his car and ran onto the track, gesturing at Stewart as he came around under caution. Stewart's right-rear tire appeared to strike Ward, who died en route to the hospital. The Ontario County coroner ruled that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma.

On Monday, officer Nathaniel Ross, the OCPD's senior communications officer, told FOXSports.com that the department is "finishing up" the Ward investigation but there was no timetable for its completion.

The investigation will determine whether or not Stewart will face any criminal charges over the incident. Regardless of the outcome of the police findings, Stewart potentially could face civil liability.

Stewart has not spoken publicly since the crash occurred.