“I Don’t Get It”- NASCAR Insider Questions Tony Stewart’s SRX Racing’s Purpose

In its captivating third season, SRX, co-founded by NASCAR Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart, continues to push the envelope with six thrilling short track races, blending pavement and dirt tracks, featuring drivers in matched cars. The racing world is abuzz as everyone, from enthusiasts to veterans, finds themselves engaged in fervent discussions about SRX’s revolutionary approach. This week witnessed SRX’s penultimate Eldora outing culminating in Stewart’s triumphant victory—a first for 2023—as he fended off truck series driver Hailie Deegan. 

Even on ‘The Money Lap’ podcast, hosted by professional stock car racing drivers Parker Kligerman and Landon Cassill, the duo dissected Stewart’s motives behind SRX’s racing paradigm, questioning the series’ rapidly growing allure in the motorsports realm.

Tony Stewart’s SRX’s conceptual mismatch and IROC comparison

During the podcast, Cassill voiced his reservations regarding the SRX, stating, “We were pretty critical… I don’t get it. I don’t know what their purpose is.” He delved into his confusion, remarking, “I don’t understand why. It’s called Superstar Racing Experience, but it’s not all superstars… more celebrity races.”

Kligerman recalled his initial expectations, likening SRX to a revamped version of the International Race of Champions (IROC), which historically featured top drivers competing across various tracks. He mused, “I thought it’s IROC 2.0… but they just go to a bunch of short tracks, so it’s not the International Race of Champions.”

Kligerman pointed out that if it were named ‘Short Track Racing Experience’, “Then I get what you’re trying to do.” He envisaged a concept where well-known NASCAR names and occasional open-wheel racers would participate in high-profile races on short tracks during the summer. However, SRX’s execution, which primarily involved celebrity races on short tracks, deviated from his initial anticipation, leaving him perplexed and questioning Stewart’s SRX’s overarching vision.

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Raising doubts about Deegan’s inclusion in the “Superstar” racing scene

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Continuing their discussion, the duo delved into the “Superstar” aspect of Tony Stewart’s brainchild. Cassill, while examining the roster, expressed skepticism about certain selections, notably Hailie Deegan’s participation.

He questioned the alignment with the “Superstar” theme, stating, “They’re good racers; I am not trying to take anything away, but I mean like Ken Schrader is a legend and he is a draw at a lot of these short tracks but…if you are trying to make IROC 2.0, I don’t know if Hailie Deegan is your driver for that.”

Cassill’s scrutiny reflected his doubts about the consistency of the SRX lineup with the superstar-driven concept. “That’s why my question was like originally I don’t get it I don’t get what it’s for or what they’re trying to do” he added.

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However, it’s worth considering that these podcast opinions should be taken with a bit of caution. Deegan, at Eldora, demonstrated her potential by achieving her best finish in the SRX series, securing runner-up. This makes us wonder whether she’s starting to show her superstar qualities.

In a sport where consistency is key, it’s premature to make judgments based on just one race. As SRX prepares to wrap up the current season following the upcoming final race at Lucas Oil Speedway next week, we’ll be presented with a final chance to see if names like Deegan can continue to perform well and live up to the “Superstar” label.