Months of Scrutiny Gets to Tony Stewart as the Veteran Claims “The Fans Need a Reality Check””

Finally, the 2024 rendition of NASCAR’s elite racing is back, with the pre-season exhibition race capturing the community’s attention. With the season commencing in L.A., the attention is back on Tony Stewart and his men at Stewart-Haas Racing. The Ford Powerhouse was once a top team with two Cup Series championships (2011, 2014) as well as 69 race wins since its inception in 2009.

However, the team has now been on a downward spiral, with the four-car team not being able to snag a single win last season despite the efforts of Kevin Harvick in his final season in the sport. Unfortunately for Tony Stewart, everything seems to fall on his head, as fans have the veteran responsible for the whole team just because he is the co-owner. Tired of this narrative and the constant blame game, “Smoke” came out swinging, bashing this very narrative, saying, “We’ve had two miserable years in a row I’m tired of getting that, or I’m tired of taking the blame from everybody.” 

Tony Stewart loses it as he rejects the continuous blame

There was a time when the media was too intimidated to ask Stewart questions. In fact, the driver had that aura around him and built up a reputation for being outright blunt and outspoken; he would often mock reporters for lousy questions, forcing them to shut down internally. That, however, seems to be in the past, as Stewart took over the ownership responsibilities at SHR.

But now, he has to put up with the community’s criticism, and that too for something he is not directly involved in. Yes, he is the boss, but is he driving the cars to deserve this level of scrutiny? Is he the crew chief? That’s exactly what Stewart had to say to the fandom when he was speaking on NASCAR’s official radio partner, Sirius XM NASCAR.

Reflecting on the awful 2023 season, he said, “I’m tired of taking the blame from everybody, why the cars aren’t running good. I think the fans need a reality check, a reminder that I’m not the crew chief, I’m not the engineer. I don’t dictate the setups on the cars. I give these guys the tools to do the job and we just haven’t got it done the last couple of years.” 

WATCH THIS STORY: Noah Gragson expresses his discontent over his unsuccessful debut with Stewart-Haas Racing 

In fact, only “Happy” Harvick could get past the regular season, and that too solely on points and none of SHR’s drivers really came close to that. But, with that being said, the addition of new names and the presence of young guns in the team is certain to do its thing as Ford fans anticipate SHR’s rise to the top.

Stewart says he is “excited” about 2024 and the team’s new driver lineup

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At first, fans thought it was a Ford thing when Joey Logano also relayed that the manufacturer is lacking in some key aspects. However, once the tournament unfolded further, it became evident that it was not the manufacturer’s flaw but a team issue at SHR. In fact, the two-car Ford team, RFK Racing, racked up three spectacular wins with a perfect one-two finish at Daytona.

So did Team Penske, another Ford stable that won its back-to-back title, with Ryan Blaney bringing the Cup back. Putting all those aside, Tony Stewart, who welcomed two new drivers—Josh Berry in the #4 Ford and Noah Gragson in the #10—voiced his excitement. The 3-time Cup Series champion reflected on the squadron of young guns the team currently has.

He said, “I’m excited about the energy at the shop; you know, I will say, having four young drivers in the shop. As much as I was really nervous about it, I’m really excited about the energy that it’s brought to the shop.” 

Mentioning the farewells of Harvick and Aric Almirola, Stewart believes it’s all for the better. Adding to his excitement, he said, “It’s hard to sit there and be too upset because I understood when I made that decision too, and so you got to support them on it, but you know, having four young drivers is something I thought I would have, but will say it’s been a surprise, a shock, and a pleasant surprise.” 

READ MORE: Tony Stewart Bashes NASCAR’s “Scr*wed Up” Rule Change Restricting Wind Tunnel Time

Can SHR bounce back from its setback and return to course? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.