DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Jusuf Nurkic 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. Caleb Swanigan Blazers Jersey . Ryan Callahan trade talks caught a lot of people off guard. Details are now emerging about why the Rangers would consider such a move. Darren Dreger: He wants a lot of money. Its been widely reported that Callahan is looking for a seven-year term around $6 million per year. That is not accurate. Im told that it is more than $6. Rodney Hood Jersey . -- Fresh off their surprising run in the playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers have signed head coach Terry Stotts to a multi-year contract extension. https://www.blazerslockerroom.com/Wade-Baldwin-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization.TOKYO -- Ben Smith and Richie McCaw crossed four minutes apart in the first half Saturday as the All Blacks trounced Japan 54-6 in New Zealands first official test in Japan. Winger Charles Piutau scored his first of two tries for New Zealand before two early penalty kicks by Ayumu Goromaru cut the visitors lead to 7-6, but that was as close as Japan would get. Sam Cane scored the All Blacks second try in the 26th minute to make it 12-6 before Smith and McCaw ran in, allowing Steve Hansens team to take a comfortable 28-6 lead at the break. "It was a very good game for us in a number of ways," Hansen said. "We got up mentally for an opposition that we knew, with the greatest of respect, we were always going to beat." The second half was more of the same with Jeremy Thrush, Frank Halai, Beauden Barrett and Piutau all scoring tries, with Barrett adding two conversions and Dan Carter one. Japan, currently 15th in the world rankings, was forced to play Saturdays match without head coach Eddie Jones who is out indefinitely after suffeering a stroke last month. Anfernee Simons Jersey. Technical adviser Steve Wisemantel took over in his absence. Crusaders lock Dominic Bird and Blues winger Halai made their All Blacks debut in the match played before a sold-crowd at Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground. World champion New Zealand stretched its winning streak to 11 games and set themselves up nicely for their tour of Europe where they will play matches against France, England and Ireland. Japan will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup and is eager to improve but Saturdays match underlined the vast differences between the Asian nation and an elite team like New Zealand. "The first 20 minutes were very good and we did very well," Wisemantel said. "The next step is to maintain that against that type of team for 50 minutes to keep the pressure on." -------- Japan 6 (Ayumu Goromaru 2 penalties). New Zealand 54 (Charles Piutau 2, Sam Cane, Ben Smith, Richie McCaw, Jeremy Thrush, Frank Halai, Beauden Barrett tries; Dan Carter 5 conversions; Barrett 2 conversions). HT: 6-28. ' ' '