23XI Racing Insider Bashes Tony Stewart’s SHR, Advising the Team to “Stop Trying to Cheat”

Eyeing a massive turnaround, Tony Stewart and his squadron of drivers were all set to take on the Cup Series challenges for 2024 until their first hurdle came in Atlanta when NASCAR seized their parts in the pre-race inspection. A pair of Stewart-Haas Racing Fords in the NASCAR Cup Series had parts confiscated for further evaluation during an inspection Friday evening at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The #10 and 41 Fords, driven by Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece, respectively, had roof rail deflectors seized at the track before Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. Any potential penalties will be announced next week. Reflecting on the team’s run-in with the organization, popular podcaster and crew member at DBC podcast trashed the Ford camp for their poor show, mocking by asking, “Does anybody get caught cheating and not win often as Stewart-Haas?” 

Freddie Kraft bashes SHR, mocking Tony Stewart and his crew unapologetically

Just like last year, Stewart-Haas Racing has started its season on the wrong foot, getting caught by the sanctioning body and making a bad name for themselves just after the season’s biggest spectacle in Daytona Beach, Florida. Following the chaotic race in the 2.5-mile speedway, only two Fords made it into the top 10, both from the SHR stable.

Despite the qualifying domination from the #22 Team Penske Ford at Daytona, the race result was completely the opposite. The Chevys reigned supreme at the iconic venue with HMS’ William Byron, ending his team’s drought excitingly. But the #10 and #14 SHR Fords caught the attention, standing out from the rest being the only Fords inside the top 10.

Riding the hype to Atlanta, fans were ecstatic to see the SHR cars getting back the long-lost speed. But the pre-race inspection caught the team red-handed and confiscated parts of their #10 and #41 cars. Reflecting on this 23XI Racing spotter, Freddie Kraft, and popular DBC podcaster, took a sly dig at Tony Stewart and his crew, mocking them for cheating.

He said, “The sons of bi**s have been caught like a couple of times a year. It seems like we went to this new car, and what was it, roof rails this week? Like Hendrick got hammered last year for them louvers but they were hauling ass when they did it, like, this is the third or fourth time Stewart-Haas got a penalty and they haven’t been that good in two years or maybe just like trying to get the cars better… just stop trying to cheat.”

SHR’s dismal outing in Atlanta

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Hoping for a better turnaround, the SHR four geared up for an exciting race in Atlanta’s one-and-a-half-mile track. First, the pre-race inspection rattled the cage with the organization seizing the parts. Then the race itself was a “bummer”. Sunday’s best finish came from the #41 driver Ryan Preece, who started 20th and managed to finish 16th, bettering his previous finish at the season-opener at Daytona.

Well, for the other three drivers, Josh Berry finished 29th despite starting from the 14th spot, completing 250 of the 260 laps. For Briscoe and Gragson, it was a disappointing day. Both drivers got the bitter end of the outing with wrecks getting the better of them. While a late slip-up from Brad Keselowski got Briscoe who finished 31st despite starting ninth, Gragson who saved the team’s skin at Daytona was caught up in the early wreck and could only complete 66 laps and finished at a low 36th place.

READ MORE: Revived Atlanta Motor Speedway Refuted Cup Drivers’ Protest With One of the Closest Finishes in NASCAR History