FORT WORTH -- Tony Stewart climbed into a NASCAR Monster Cup car for the first time in nearly 11 months on Wednesday at Texas Motor Speedway.

For those hoping this was the first sign of a comeback to a series in need of strong personality types such as Stewart, forget about it. Since climbing out of the No. 14 Chevrolet of Stewart-Haas Racing after the final race of last season, Stewart has not looked back.

"I'm good doing what I'm doing,'' Stewart said. "I have more on my plate that I've ever had. It's a whole different feeling when you're doing what you want to do versus what you have to do."

Stewart wanted to continue support of Speedway Children's Charities-Texas with the 11th edition of the "Smoke Show,'' in which he introduces fans to Cup racing from an insider's perspective. In the previous 10 years, the event raised more than $1.6 million.

The return to TMS was one of the few set-in-stone items on Stewart's calendar. In his post-Cup life, he can decide on a Wednesday if he wants to participate in a dirt-track race on a Friday. Or he can take a four-day vacation.

Life is good for the talented and irascible driver who won three Cup championships and one IndyCar title.

"I get the best of both worlds," Stewart said. "I get to do all the racing that I want to do, and I choose where I go.

"The day I made my decision that I was going to retire (from Cup racing), I never questioned if I was making the right decision. There's just that day that comes, and you know it's time."

Stewart remains involved in Cup racing through his ownership role with Stewart-Haas Racing. The team has dropped from six wins in 2016 to two this season. Its Fords have been playing catch up with the speedy fleet of Toyotas all season.

The breakdown of SHR's season:

-- Kevin Harvick is the only SHR racer alive in the playoffs. Harvick has gone from 16 wins from 2013-16 combined to only one this season, but he showed signs of being a strong contender again by leading 149 laps on the way to a third-place finish at Charlotte on Sunday.

"It's been little things that have kept Kevin from being in the form we're used to seeing from him," Stewart said. "Charlotte was a good indication he can still do it when we put a day together."

-- Kurt Busch won once in the regular season but went out in the opening round of the playoffs.

SHR holds an option on Busch for next season. The key to doing that is for the SHR to add sponsorship to the No. 41 team.

"That's what our goal is, but we've got to get some sponsorship," Stewart said.

-- Clint Bowyer replaced Stewart in the No. 14. Bowyer missed the playoffs and is looking at going winless for the fifth consecutive season, but he has his most top-5 finishes (5) since 2014.

"I hired Bowyer because I thought he was the closest thing to me," Stewart said. "I sit on the 14 box because I want to listen to him complain all day. It's fun to listen to some of the stuff he says. It's fun to work with him."

-- This will end Danica Patrick's five-year run with SHR. She is winless with seven top-10 finishes in 174 starts, but Stewart praised her work in the heavier stock cars with minimal previous experience.

"We've taken her as far as we can take her," Stewart said. "I enjoyed racing with her as a teammate and working with her as a car owner. You always know where you stand with her. She doesn't hide anything, and I appreciate that."

Stewart added that he was "disappointed'' in media coverage of Patrick throughout her Cup career. Stewart maintained that she was harshly judged for mid-level finishes. Her best annual average placing was 22.0, last season.

"She can run 20th, and everybody says she's not performing well," Stewart said. "She's still out-running 20 guys who have decent cars. From day one, she's done a great job.''

SHR hopes to field a fourth team next season, with Patrick's replacement to be determined. As with Busch, the first step is adding sponsorship. Those matters occupy Tony Stewart's time now.

More information on Tony Stewart's work with organizations serving children who are critically ill or disabled is available at Tonystewartfoundation.org.

Twitter: @gfraley