Tony Stewart dropped a bombshell this year. After 16 years of stellar racing in NASCAR’s premier series, Stewart-Haas Racing ceased to exist. Its 70 race victories and two Cup Series championships turned into a thing of the past, with the owners making do with its scraps. While Gene Haas continued his over 2-decade work as a team owner, Stewart focused on NHRA. But neither of them can get peace yet.

The ongoing NASCAR lawsuit has pitted Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing’s team owner, and the sanctioning body against each other. Both Jordan’s team and Front Row Motorsports seek to revolutionize the sport, while NASCAR seeks to bring them down. Tony Stewart also inadvertently signed up for this drama, inviting a possible economic loss – as two veterans discuss.

A mighty revenue loss on the table for Tony Stewart?

The lawsuit itself is based on pecuniary disparities. For the past two years, the Race Team Alliance has been demanding greater slices of the media revenue and permanent charters among other changes. Not only did NASCAR pay little heed to these, but it also dropped a charter agreement with a 6-hour signing deadline. Only Michael Jordan’s team and FRM opted to stay out, risking their chartered spots next year. They hoped to resolve that via the lawsuit, but so far the dominoes have fallen in their disfavor. The first preliminary injunction request was already denied on November 2nd, throwing into doubt not only Jordan’s future in NASCAR but also Tony Stewart’s last profits.

That may have dealt a harsh blow to the former SHR owner. On the Herm & Schrader podcast, Xfinity Series veteran Kenny Wallace and former Cup veteran Ken Schrader united for a discussion about this topic. Schrader summed up Tony Stewart’s icky situation: “They got caught in the crossfire between 23XI and Front Row and NASCAR… I’m glad that I’m not involved.”

Then Wallace shed light on the hefty amount that Stewart may lose if his charters go unsold. “They’re looking at getting rid of three, just give them 25 million per Charter, whatever you want. We’re talking close to a 100 million dollars, that’s a big pill to swallow.” Then he corrected his math since Stewart is selling three charters: “$75 Million.”

Wallace continued that Tony Stewart‘s mind had shifted from NASCAR before. Now the newly ordained father is looking forward to his drag racing pursuits. “Tony said, ‘I don’t like the way NASCAR’s headed’. And he claimed that he left because of that… Tony’s still owner, so he’s waiting for his money to roll in… Well, Tony’s going to get part of that money, leaving and going drag racing.” Kenny Wallace added, “I don’t think NASCAR saw this scenario coming… somebody suing us and we’re dealing with charters at the same time.” 

NASCAR had already gotten on Tony Stewart’s nerves before when his team was under stress.

When Stewart was ‘so mad’ 

Trending

After Tony Stewart’s Exit, Gene Haas Forms “Pseudo” Alliance With Another Former NASCAR Cup Series Champion

“Good Riddance”: $3.5 Billion Partner Could Cut Off Backing to Rick Hendrick, Claim NASCAR Fans

“It All Just Becomes Fake”: When NHRA Icon Force Named His Potential Successors to Watch Out For

NASCAR Lawsuit: What Does the Preliminary Injunction Mean for the France Family?

In a 2022 playoff race in Charlotte, Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe landed a hefty penalty. Stewart-Haas Racing was accused of race manipulation – as Custer allegedly slowed down to let Briscoe go ahead. Briscoe finished 9th, good enough to edge Kyle Larson out of the playoffs. NASCAR levied a $100,000 fine for Custer and a loss of 50 driver points, as well as 50 owner points for SHR. Crew chief Mike Shiplett was also fined $100,000 and suspended indefinitely. With a $200,000 monetary loss staring him in the face, Tony Stewart was furious. “I’m so mad at NASCAR right now, I’m not talking about it.”

Right after this penalty hit, Stewart was set to compete in the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas. And he was tremendously glad for the break from NASCAR, as Stewart admitted to the Associated Press: “Super glad I’m going drag racing this weekend. If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve got a couple of appearances that I have to make, I wouldn’t be in another NASCAR race the rest of the year. Wouldn’t waste my time.” Asked if he was having fun with NHRA, Stewart responded, “Love it. The atmosphere is way different, way different. And I like the atmosphere there, I have all year.”

Tony Stewart evidently has not been on good terms with NASCAR for the past two years. Now it seems the lawsuit has tipped him over the edge. In an interview for Cars and Culture with Jason Stein, Stewart said, “The Charter agreements are a joke. If people aren’t smart enough to read between the lines when someone like Rick Hendrick says ‘I just got tired of arguing with them’… you’re all missing the whole big picture.” Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports have the financial stability to ‘get tired’ of arguing with NASCAR and begrudgingly accept their terms. However, not all teams have that luxury, and SHR perished because of that.

It seems that his fury will intensify now as well, with SHR’s charters at risk in the NASCAR lawsuit.