“It’s Not Easy, It’s Never Easy”- Tony Stewart Refuses to Accept Defeat as He Addresses SHR’s Shortcomings

After a rather dismal season, unable to get either of its four cars in the victory lane even for once, Stewart-Haas Racing needs a major turnaround to get the ball rolling in 2024. Now, that won’t be a walk in the park as we would think. With its veteran Kevin Harvick done and dusted with his NASCAR career, Tony Stewart and Co. has a serious situation at hand, one that needs undivided attention.

Reflecting on the team’s precarious situation, the 3-time Cup Series champion was blunt and honest, addressing the real issue and mentioning how the performance was no way near what was expected out of the Ford camp.

Even though the team has lost its star drivers and major sponsorship tie-ups, Stewart strongly believes that they are not done and hopes that they will bounce back from the setbacks and rise from the ashes.

Tony Stewart foresees a massive comeback from his men as he uncovers the real situation at SHR

Ford powerhouse SHR’s downfall has been certainly one of those sad tales that would get any ardent fan depressed. Even with its four-car setup, neither could the team rack up a win in the entire season, nor did they have the speed that the SHR Fords were renowned for. To add insult to injury, the team bid farewell to its champion racer, Kevin Harvick in the most gloomy way – seeing him off without a win in his final Cup Series season.

The agonizing state of affairs doesn’t end there. In fact, Harvick’s departure meant a major sponsor pulling back as the #4’s long-time partner Busch Beer chose to align with Trackhouse Racing with their 2024 campaign. And Aric Almirola’s change of heart to shift his base to the Toyota camp at Joe Gibbs Racing also got the Ford-associated organization thinking about the options.

Despite all the setbacks and adversities putting them in dire straits, Stewart unraveled the real situation. He said, “You know I think the last couple of seasons, the performance is way off from what we expected and strive for, but again this building is full of racers and because of that it gives me hope to get the ship righted and get back on course.” 

In the short clip posted by the team on their ‘X’ handle, the veteran was oddly calm enough, suggesting a strong comeback in the making. Stewart also mentioned the team’s true vulnerability with the Next-Gen platform, saying, “It’s not easy, it’s never easy but in the last 2 years dealing with a brand new car that we’ve never seen before, never worked on, has definitely caught us off guard but when you’ve a building full of racers like this, there’s no better group on your side than can figure this out and start going in that direction.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Tony Stewart’s insider claims to mimic Rick Hendrick’s blueprint for success 

However, amidst the bitter season, the team members are taking inspiration from other teams and individuals. Recently, a veteran SHR crew chief opened up to Sirius XM NASCAR, mentioning #24 driver, William Byron’s success story after he got real about the team’s sticky situation.

SHR insider takes the HMS success story as inspiration, mentioning William Byron’s rise to the top

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They say that time and tide wait for no man and it doesn’t. Aging veterans like Harvick and Almirola will have to hang up their boots someday or the other. In fact, that is just the cold reality we fans have to accept. But the team also needs to own the responsibility of having a worthy replacement set for it. A deep conversation with SHR crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer had the veteran take up inspiration from team Chevy, mentioning how William Byron is making a name for himself in the #24 car which was once driven by the great Jeff Gordon.

He said, “They are not going to have veterans forever. You have to go through the cycle of young guys.” Blickensderfer then went on to share how important it is for a team like SHR to give its drivers proper potent equipment. “We didn’t have race cars last year that Kevin Harvick could win in and that, as a company, we need to fix,” admitted the crew chief “Getting our race cars faster will not only help these young guys but help the whole company,” he added.

Furthermore, he got candid about the rise of the 25-year-old William Byron who just had his breakout season, winning six races and advancing it to the playoffs. Mentioning Byron’s spectacular season and how the youngster is filling the shoes, taking over the responsibility from Gordon, he said, “People looked at them during that time and thought like, man, what would happen? And all of a sudden William Byron turned into a superstar.” 

READ MORE: With Stewart-Haas Racing Acknowledging Their Disgraceful Year, Can the Team Redeem Themselves in 2024?

Trials and tribulations aside, the Stewart-Haas Racing team is certainly hopeful and confident of a comeback! Do you think they will be able to bounce back next season? Let us know in the comments below!