Tony Stewart Disappointed with Stewart-Haas Racing's Current Performance

Tony Stewart, co-founder of the Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team, spoke this week on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio about the current situation of the team, describing it as "unacceptable." Since its creation in 2009, SHR has achieved two titles in the NASCAR Cup Series (2011 and 2014) and a total of 69 victories. However, the performance of the four-car team has been declining since 2021, and the situation seems to have worsened with the introduction of the Next Gen car. Last season was particularly tough for the team as they failed to secure any victories, an unprecedented occurrence in their history.

The only SHR driver to reach the playoffs was Kevin Harvick, but he was eliminated in the first round. His three teammates ended the year outside the top-20 in points. With the departure of Harvick and Aric Almirola, the team now consists of four young drivers, including Chase Briscoe, who holds the group's only race victory. Josh Berry and Noah Gragson joined the team for the 2024 season. Additionally, SHR has lost some major sponsors, including Anheuser-Busch and Smithfield.
Stewart expressed concern about the team's performance and the need to adapt and improve. "It's our job to make sure that if things aren't going well, we're making the right adjustments to correct and improve," Stewart said. He stated that the team is aware that their performance over the past two years does not meet previous standards and that they are determined to return to the form that led them to past successes.

The new car has posed a particular challenge for SHR, according to Stewart. He emphasized the importance of looking forward and working together to overcome obstacles. "Everything is in front of us now. There's nothing behind us," he emphasized, encouraging his team to maintain focus and hard work.
Despite SHR's performance issues, other Ford teams, such as RFK Racing and Team Penske, have been successful, indicating that the issue is not with the car brand. Additionally, SHR has faced several significant penalties in the past two years, which have affected their performance.

Stewart concluded by stating that if there is no improvement in performance on the track, significant changes will be made. "If we're not getting the results we're looking for, we're going to start making major changes," he stated. While he doesn't expect the team to win eight to ten races this season, he does expect to see progress and a positive direction in their performance.