Tony Stewart Responds to Criticism Over leaving NASCAR
As the curtain begins to fall on Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, Tony Stewart, the owner and co-founder of the team, has found himself in the crosshairs of criticism. While SHR has been a major presence in NASCAR for the past 16 years, Stewart’s decision to close the team has sparked a storm of debate both from fans and within the media. But, as always, Stewart isn’t one to shy away from confronting tough questions and critiques head-on.
Speaking candidly on the *Happy Hour Podcast* hosted by longtime friend and SHR driver Kevin Harvick, Stewart addressed the backlash and shared his thoughts on the matter.
“I got a lot of bashing online, a lot of bashing on social media, and it was very unjust through the process,” Stewart said. “It’s easy to sit on your ass, on your couch in your mom’s house, and tell us how we’re doing it wrong. But nobody can seem to sit there and come in on Monday morning and tell us how to do it right.”
The harsh criticisms of Stewart’s decision to close SHR haven’t deterred him. He made it clear that he feels his team has always
“I feel like our group did a great job of taking care of our people the best that we could, and with the right intentions and with the attitude that our employees came first,” Stewart continued. “That’s what the focus has been this year—making sure that we do everything to take care of our employees in a season that’s a transition year for everybody.”
Despite the criticism, Stewart has no regrets about his decision. “I’m not second-guessing this decision,” he emphasized. “You won’t find me going back on it.”
A New Chapter: Why Tony Stewart Is Stepping Away from NASCAR
For Stewart, the decision to close SHR at the end of this season isn’t rooted in regret, but rather in the evolution of both the sport and his own life. Beyond his storied career in NASCAR, Stewart has been busy with a multitude of other ventures, including his role as an owner-driver in the NHRA, owning Eldora Speedway, managing a sprint car team, and preparing for a new chapter in his personal life as he prepares to become a father. With so much going on, it’s easy to see why the timing makes sense for him to step away from NASCAR.
“It’s just a different time in the sport,” Stewart explained. “The sport’s going to be healthy, it’s going to survive. It always has, it always will. But I’m happy at this point in my life to make this change.”
Stewart also acknowledged that while the initial reasoning behind closing SHR might have been different earlier in the year, the ongoing struggles within NASCAR—particularly the legal battles and tensions among team owners—have only solidified his decision to step away.
“It wasn’t that way at the beginning of the year, we had different reasons for why we had to shut down at the end of the season,” Stewart admitted. “As time’s gone on and watching the owners and NASCAR fight and just the chaos that’s going on over there, I’m fine being done with this at the end of the year.”
For now, though, it’s clear that Tony Stewart is ready for the next phase of his life. And as for the critics? They can keep talking, but Smoke is at peace with his decision.
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