DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Chris Terry Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. As far as hes concerned, those are the only major changes since he broke two bones in his leg in an August sprint-car crash. So when the green flag drops Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway for his first race since the accident, Stewart believes it will be the same old "Smoke" behind the wheel. "Were not going to need a backup driver," boasted Stewart, who is scheduled to be in the race car for the first time Friday for 105 minutes of practice for the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. "I feel good enough that Im confident were not going to have to worry about anything," he added. "Weve planned for anything that we think might or could go wrong, and when I say go wrong, its not anything thats going to take us out of the race car. Its just a matter of making everything as comfortable as possible." Stewart has not raced in more than six months, an unheard of amount of time off for a driver who makes his money racing in NASCAR yet crisscrossed the country cramming 50 or more weeknight events into his year-round schedule. Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson isnt dismissing Stewarts chances of making a successful return. "Tonys a guy that when hes motivated, he can do anything," Johnson said. "And his motivation and desire to get in the car is probably higher than its been since he was a little kid, so it could be really dangerous for all of us, you know what I mean?" Last August, Stewart was leading with five laps remaining at Southern Iowa Speedway when a lapped car spun in front of him, causing Stewart to hit that car and flip several times. Stewarts time sidelined was certainly difficult, enhanced by the pain from his broken leg. He had two surgeries for the breaks, then a third to treat an infection. He was flat on his back, confined to the first-floor bedroom of his longtime business manager, where he was forced to lay with his leg elevated above his heart. When there was Stewart-Haas Racing business to address, team personnel did it at his bedside. Stewart required an ambulance to get to his doctor appointments, and when he finally was able to get out of bed, he needed a wheelchair to get around. And when Stewart -- a driver SHR vice-president of competition Greg Zipadelli referred to as "Superman" in the days after his accident -- finally made an appearance at the race track, it was on a motorized scooter. Nobody was comfortable seeing the three-time NASCAR champion so restricted. Many wondered if hed ever be the same. Not Stewart. "Right off the bat, the surgeon, the therapists, theyve all said, Youre going to have 100-per cent recovery," Stewart said. "With that, from Day 1, it took the doubt out." Any questions about getting back into a race car were erased, and Stewart turned his attention to his recovery. He wondered when hed be 100 per cent -- doctors have told him it will take a year, and he said this week his leg is only 65-per cent healed -- and when the pain would subside. He asked doctors if hed always have some sort of lingering pain, and he threw himself into a tough rehabilitation program. As he progressed and moved closer to Fridays practice sessions, his SHR team built a module that includes a seat, steering wheel, steering column and pedals so Stewart could sit and hold the pedal down for 20 minutes to simulate the pressure of having his foot on the throttle. New teammate Kevin Harvick ordered Stewart a special pad that hangs off the steering wheel that will prevent his knees from banging into the steering column. Now his peers wait to see how Stewart will drive. Harvick said they attended a sponsor appearance together this week and when they left, Stewart "was like a crazed lunatic. You could see that look in his eye. He looked at me and said, Im ready to ... race!" A driver who has excelled in races because of his ability to feel the car, some have wondered if the injury has taken that talent from Stewart. He doesnt believe the broken leg has robbed him of anything. "When you hear the quote, Its a seat-of-the-pants feel, you feel it in your core," he said. "Everything that is processed through your brain is between your core as far as feeling whats going on. Your hands and arm are feeling pressure in the steering wheel. But as far as from your legs down, youre not really feeling that sensation. Its more of what your brain is telling your legs to do. "If we had to have an area to have an injury, my right leg was probably the one." Denny Hamlin struggled all last season after missing five races with a fractured vertebra in his lower back. But Hamlin cited Stewarts superior talent as reason why Stewart wont have similar issues. Joakim Nordstrom Jersey . – Team Canadas Brooke Henderson carded a 4-under 67 at Craigowan Golf and Country Club to jump into the lead at the Canadian Womens Amateur Championship on Wednesday. Jaccob Slavin Jersey . Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the Houston Texans No. 1 pick in the draft, was on the field Tuesday for the first time with former NFL Defensive Player of the Year J. http://www.hockeyhurricanes.com/lee-stempniak-hockey-jersey/ . And theyre pointing to the NHLs biggest market: Toronto. With Gretzky paid out for what is believed to be $7 to 8 million, Gretzky may be eager to get back into the NHL and TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Maple Leafs are very much interested in The Great Ones services. TAMPA, Fla. -- Steven Stamkos stopped worrying about not a scoring goal over an extended period. On Thursday night, the Tampa Bay star showed why. Stamkos had three goals and an assist, Valtteri Filppula added two goals, and the Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 7-2 on Thursday night. Stamkos, second in the NHL with 29 goals during the abbreviated 2012-13 season, stopped a five-game goal drought dating back to last season. "To be completely honest, I think this might have been the first time that I didnt (worry)," Stamkos said. "Usually I do. If I dont score one game, sometimes you have trouble sleeping, thinking what you should have done. I just kind of had an eerie feeling that tonight was going to be a good night." Stamkos completed his sixth career hat trick on a one-timer from the top of the left circle during a power play at 12:25 of the third. "He scores when he get opportunties," Lightning goalie Ben Bishop said. "Its a lot nicer having him on your team than playing against him." Martin St. Louis added a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who have won three in a row after a season-opening loss at Boston. Bishop made 19 saves and improved to 3-0 on the season. Florida, which lost three of four during a season-opening road trip, got goals from Brad Boyes and Jonathan Huberdeau. "We didnt respond well to pressure," Florida coach Kevin Dineen said. "When they pressured our players, instead of responding to that, understanding that it was coming, I think it created turmoil for us." Filppula scored consecutive third-period goals to give the Lightning a 6-2 lead. St. Louis, playing at home for the first time since being selected team captain earlier this month, made it 1-0 off a pass through the slot by Stamkos 8:13 into the game. St. Louis has 917 points, which moved him past Bobby Orr (915)) into 94th place on the NHL all-time list. Julien Gauthier Jersey. "I dont think its something that you think about when you start your career," St. Louis said. "A pretty special player that I get to pass." St. Louis goal marked the first time this season that Tampa Bay took a lead during regulation. The Lightnings other two victories came in overtime and a shootout after third-period comebacks. Stamkos put the Lightning up 2-0 when he beat goalie Jacob Markstrom for a short-handed goal at 13:54 of the first. It was Tampa Bays first short-handed goal since Ryan Malone scored one on March 26, 2012. "You know theyre dynamic," Dineen said of Stamkos and St. Louis. "You know that if one guy has the puck, hes looking for the other guy, that theyre really highly skilled players, but more than anything, they work as hard as anybody in the league. If you dont match that, if you dont have 100 per cent buy-in and effort to try to contain them, youre going to get lit up like we did tonight." Boyes got the Panthers within 2-1 on a power-play goal 59 seconds into the second. Florida had failed to convert on its previous 17 man-advantage opportunities this season. Tampa Bay went up 3-1 when Stamkos scored from the right circle with 8:21 left in the second. Ondrej Palat added a late second-period goal. Huberdeau, last seasons Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year, scored his first goal in nine games early in the third. NOTES: Florida G Tim Thomas (groin) said he felt "better" after skating and taking some shots Thursday. Dineen said its very doubtful that Thomas, who was hurt Tuesday at Philadelphia, will be ready for Fridays home opener. ... Panthers C Shawn Matthias played after missing the morning skate due to flulike symptoms. ... Markstrom was pulled midway through the third after allowing six goals on 24 shots. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '