(CNN) -- Tony Stewart says he took the last three weekends off to respect the family of the driver that his race car struck and killed this month, and to deal with his own emotions. Returning to NASCAR racing this weekend, he says, will help him cope. Stewart, who opted out of three races after his car hit Kevin Ward Jr. during a dirt track race on August 9, spoke briefly to reporters Friday about his decision to race in Sunday's Oral-B USA 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This has been one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with, both professionally and personally. And this is something that will definitely affect my life forever," Stewart said at the speedway in his first public appearance since Ward's death.
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Racer was driving in a dirt-track race when he hit a competitor who was walking
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Kevin Ward Jr. died of his injuries received at NY track
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"This has been one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with," Stewart says
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NASCAR will allow Stewart to stay in championship chase
One car swerves to avoid @placeholder on the half-mile dirt track.