2023 season has proven to be a trying time for Stewart Haas Racing. Week after week, the team grapples with a lack of consistency, struggling to amass points and secure a stable standing. Co-owner Tony Stewart finds himself in the midst of a rough patch, personally and professionally. However, the month of August brought a glimmer of hope.

‘Smoke’ managed to wrap up the third season of his SRX racing series on a high note, clinching victory at Eldora earlier in the month. Just a while back, it seemed as if luck had run out as Stewart found himself in the midst of a personal crisis, fighting emotional distress and tragedies. A ray of light has now emerged in the form of a tweet from Rodney Childers, the crew chief for Kevin Harvick.

A glimpse of hope for Stewart amidst emotional turmoil

In a significant setback, Kevin Harvick‘s seasoned crew chief, Rodney Childers, was notably absent from the penultimate race of the regular season at Watkins Glen. The news arrived as a somber update for Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing. Childers faced a family emergency involving his mother, who was admitted to the intensive care unit after her heart unexpectedly stopped.

Following the challenging situation, a breath of fresh air reached the SHR garage as Childers once again turned to social media to share an update on his mother’s health and extend gratitude to the NASCAR community. Beyond the adrenaline-filled moments of the racetrack, the racing community is full of collective support and compassion for the sport and the people in it.

In response to Childers’ initial tweet about his mother’s urgent medical crisis, an outpouring of prayers and well-wishes flooded in. In a subsequent tweet captioned “A lot of prayers made a big difference in 24 hours..,” Childers revealed that his mother’s ventilation tube had been removed, signaling a more stable and hopeful recovery phase.

Unfortunately, that was not the end of Stewart’s heartache. In a tragic turn of events, 24-year-old Ashlea Albertson, who drove Stewart’s #4 TQ Midgets Series car, met a tragic end over the weekend in an incident marked as a “road rage incident.”

Read more: Tony Stewart’s Star Leads Ford’s Battle Cry; Chalks Out Chevrolet & Toyota’s Winning Recipe

The heartbreak unfolded on an interstate highway this past Sunday. Stewart shared his grief, writing, “Today, I lost a teammate. @AshDogRacing had an infectious personality and could light up any room,” conveying the impact of the loss. Amidst a lackluster season, hope still flickers for SHR, with anticipation of a comeback at the regular season finale in Daytona.

Hope persists for SHR’s comeback

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A recent podcast episode of the ‘Dirty Mo Live’ had some great discussions on SHR’s comeback drawing parallels to RFK Racing‘s resurgence with Ford. Speculations about Ford’s potential speed at superspeedway rose, singling out cars #10 and #14.  Amidst discussions, Aric Almirola was agreed as a contender for advancement, emphasizing Almirola’s experience while also acknowledging the uncertainty of the outcome.

“Ford could find some speed this week, you know. They like good at superspeedways. So I don’t know, maybe the #10, the #14. I think Aric Almirola has been in that conversation. I know Freddie mentioned him a bunch as someone who could race their way in. He’s got the experience. I don’t know. We’ll see”

As excitement builds, the focus shifts to Daytona, where the impending action will bring closure to the discussions and set the stage for the playoff with the top 16 drivers.

Watch This Story: Tony Stewart’s Team Under Scrutiny After Disappointing Regular Season with Ford