“Hard To Figure Out”- Tony Stewart’s Star Driver Reveals Biggest Playoff Roadblock

The 2023 Cup Series has proven to be a challenging ride for the Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team. Only one out of their quartet of drivers has managed to stake a claim below the playoff cut-off line. Remarkably, Kevin Harvick, in his swansong season, clinched a spot in the playoffs. Yet the feat wasn’t due to a triumphant race finish but was rather attributed to the points he amassed from leading laps and a singular stage victory.

On the other hand, the rest of SHR’s contingent, comprising Aric Almirola, Ryan Preece, and Chase Briscoe, have found themselves in a more precarious position. They currently trail in the 25th, 24th, and 31st spots on the standings board. However, hope is on the horizon for the SHR team.

Given one of the Tony Stewart-owned team’s drivers’ notable performances at Daytona, there’s an air of optimism and anticipation of a potential victory. But now, during a candid chat on the DBC podcast, the No. 10 driver unveiled a hurdle he must navigate to clinch the much-coveted win.

Potential chance to win that race—a fervent proclamation from Tony Stewart’s No. 10 Ford Mustang driver 

This year, Stewart’s squadron hasn’t quite set the racetracks ablaze, with a noticeable absence of wins across the board—even from the racing luminary, Kevin Harvick. However, there’s a silver lining, given the No. 10 Ford Mustang’s commendable record at Daytona. This stat has both the team and driver setting their sights on the upcoming final regular-season showdown at the iconic Daytona International Speedway.

But as with any race, there’s more to it than meets the eye. In a candid discussion with the DBC crew, Aric Almirola unpacked a racing quandary. He mused on the unpredictable nature of on-track wrecks and the imperative to swiftly sidestep these accidents. Any delay not only costs precious time but also disrupts a driver’s momentum.

Almirola expressed, “It’s just that one element that is really hard to figure out; you’ve got to figure out things go your way. If there’s a big wreck and you’re near it or in it, you’ve got to be able to escape; you’ve got to have things go your way throughout the course of the race. And unfortunately, you just can’t control everything.”

He further added, “The things we can control, I know we will be good at, and we will have a potential chance to win that race, and we have been able to do it in the past; we have won the dual at Daytona the last couple of years, so we know how to get through victory lane.”

It’s noteworthy that earlier this year, preceding the monumental Daytona 500, Almirola clinched a win in one of the preliminary bouts—events pivotal for Daytona 500 qualifications.

However, that’s not it; Almirola’s prowess on the track has been consistently evident, with stellar displays in 2022 and 2021. His optimism about Daytona seems rooted in these triumphs. But does the weight of the occasion, considering it’s a track where he’s tasted preliminary success and it is his last shot at glory, unnerve him?

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The No. 10 Ford for Tony Stewart is nervous ahead of the crucial Daytona race

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Following a rather lackluster display at Watkins Glen, all eyes turned to the Tony Stewart team’s ace driver, Aric Almirola. When seasoned journalist Bob Pockrass delved into Almirola’s mindset approaching the climactic Daytona race and queried about any brewing nerves, Almirola exuded an air of tranquility. He emphasized treating the race as he would any other on the speedway circuit.

Almirola elaborated, “I show up every year at the Daytona 500 with high hopes and high expectations, and I have yet to win one. And I have led laps there, bidding contention, what seems to be year after year. So, I just know it’s Daytona, and I know anything can happen, and I just have to go and do my best, put myself in the right positions, and it will be what it’s going to be.”

The Daytona showdown is a pressure cooker situation for several racers eyeing the last slots in the playoffs, including notables like Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola, and Daniel Suarez. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Who are you placing your bets on? Do let us know in the comments below.

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