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Stewart-Haas Racing's Tony Stewart takes obstacles in stride as he builds top organization
By SceneDaily Staff
Monday, June 08, 2009
Stewart-Haas Racing's Tony Stewart is finding early success as NASCAR Sprint Cup team co-owner/driver.
Dale Barbee
NASCAR Scene
Tony Stewart never has really been known for taking the easy route.
So it's really no surprise that Stewart took the long road to his initial victory with Stewart-Haas Racing. A co-owner of the organization for just a handful of months, Stewart won at Pocono Raceway with a charge from the back Sunday. He was initially on the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race, but a crash during a practice session caused him to go to a backup car for the race - and to start it from the rear.
That didn't faze Stewart. He just found a new way to manage the setback - this time with a gamble on fuel mileage. Stewart went slightly more than 102 miles on his final tank, using a variety of means to conserve as the laps wound down.
After the race, he joked about almost messing up his team's shot at the win before it even got in the race.
"We were in here Friday talking about how good of a weekend it started off being by getting a pole due to the rainout," Stewart said at Pocono following the race. "But I found a way to screw that up on Saturday and just lost it off of [Turn] 2, and because of that, we had to start last today and we just had a great race car.
"… We went out there, it was like we had not missed a beat and just thankful we got a good group of guys like that and good partners that were willing to help out when we needed a hand."
This group has pulled together quickly. After taking over co-ownership of the former Haas CNC Racing in the offseason, Stewart crafted a new competition department and added Ryan Newman as his teammate. The organization spent last season battling for a locked-in position with its two teams week to week. This year, Stewart holds the points lead and Newman is fourth in the standings after 14 races.
So dealing with having to use a backup car was a minor hiccup for them.
"That was a very interesting weekend all the way around. To come up here and sit in the rain and get the pole because we earned it; we had the points lead and guys have been working really hard, the entire Stewart-Haas organization to get that," crew chief Darian Grubb said. "And just to be able to get it last week and to take the benefits of it this week by being able to start on the pole was a great thing.
"Having to go to the backup car, it was great to see everybody just keep their heads about them, stay calm and stay cool. Made all the changes we needed to between the two cars, and I think we actually made the second car better when we went out and started happy hour. So it's a testament to how hard they work and how they all pull together as a team to do this. Tony said before the race that he felt bad; he felt like he gave that car away and he was going to go out there and earn something for us. And I told him, 'This is a team and what we are all here for and luckily at the end we were able to show him what kind of team we are and get him out of the pits in first and it was great from there.'"
It's a team, though, that has picked up on the attitude of Stewart.
A two-time Cup champion during his tenure with JGR, Stewart has past experience as a team owner in other series, the talent to win in anybody's equipment and the savvy to recognize the value of the organization's alignment with Hendrick Motorsports.
He spent the offseason really getting to know his Cup organization and helping his group map out a plan for the 2009 Cup season.
Everyone assessed and evaluated the parts and pieces, tried to figure out what it would take to be competitive.
They looked to Stewart for guidance - and drew confidence from his approach.
"There's something to be said when Tony walks into the shop and he has that confidence," Grubb says. "He pats everybody on the back. They know he's back and putting everything he's got into it. And same thing with Ryan Newman, they know they have two of the best drivers out there and they come through and pat each other on the back, and they know they are part of this team and they are in it for the long haul; that makes everybody want to work that much harder to go out there and give them what they need to win."
Stewart, meanwhile, deflects any praise for his role.
"I've just got to spend the time being the cheerleader during the week and I've got great race cars and a great team behind me on the weekends," he said.
Now, everyone's hard work is showing up in their on-track performances.
After his win Sunday, Stewart was asked a simple question: Which was more difficult, building the team into a winning organization in such a short span or winning from the back of the field in a backup car?
From his point of view, with his team in place, both have been easier than some might suspect.
"Both of them seem pretty easy," he said. "But I know it's not. I mean, neither one of them are easy and they are both difficult and they both are because of hard work.
"It's easy when you've got the tools in place and that's something that [Vice President] Joe [Custer] has given us from the start is anything that we needed, and the tools were there when I got there. It's just a matter of finding some key people to help tie up the loose ends so to speak."
Mentioned Drivers: Tony Stewart
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
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Comments
19 responses to "Stewart-Haas Racing's Tony Stewart takes obstacles in stride as he builds top organization". Post a Comment.
yubu8 said:
Jun 8, 2009 at 6:45 PM"""He just found a new way to manage the setback - this time with a gamble on fuel mileage. Stewart went slightly more than 102 miles on his final tank, using a variety of means to conserve as the laps wound down.""""-------------------------------- see who says Chevy doesn't have good gas mileage
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgthom56978 said:
Jun 8, 2009 at 11:08 PMTony got it done. Go Smoke. Lets get it on. Congratulations to Stewart/Hass Racing.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportRooth said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 12:07 AMWhen everyone on the racing scene said who thought that he would do so well I held my hand up (me) ! He did work for Joe Gibbs and he said he was going to take what he learned with him. Put the right people in the right jobs and it will work. I got into Nascar because of Joe Gibbs.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmotorsportsphotography said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 8:24 AM#1, You are a idiot. He had plenty of fuel to waste on a great burnout, drive into VL and still had fuel after that.He won the race from last in a backup car. He won the race with other drivers chasing him. get over it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmax-finkelberg5 said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 3:18 PMI agree with #4... again! Chevy has great gas mileage and Tony Stewart did an awesome burnout, so he had plenty of fuel. People will say anything... believe me!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSS396Chevelle said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 3:33 PMI don't see anything wrong with #1 comment. It was a fuel mileage race. Tony was saving fuel for at least 15 laps as was Carl and Jimmie. Carl was sure Tony would run out of gas. I do admire Tony for thanking Chevy for going with him.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSS396Chevelle said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 3:47 PMMSP off topic... What's the deal with Red Bull Racing? It's not top top secret is it?
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjdxenterprises said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 3:48 PM#4 or #5 - I am not sure who is the idiot, but # 1 took a quote from the article and then asked who will claim a Chevy doesn't get good gas mileage. I agree with you #6. Chevy won this one!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportnathan56 said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 4:14 PMWhy all the hoopla about Tony doing good with his own team!! He is a 2 time champion, has Hendrick chassis and engines, and a proven crew chief, also from Hendrick I think. If he didn't do well, I would be surprised. Maybe Hendrick gave him Junior's car!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbbhs65 said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 4:29 PMIt doesn't matter how he won. HE WON! Everyone needs to get over it, and acknowledge that he is a great driver and pretty smart on top of it! Go Smoke!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportazfreebird said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 5:12 PMThe bottom line is it was a fuel race, the drivers were doing the best they could based on the info from their crew chiefs.
Report as AbuseAm I a Chevy fan? no... but Tony is and I believe in Tony! WTG SMOKE!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportboudruxbone said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 5:25 PMTony Stewart wins. Tony Stewart is a real race car driver, with the expectation to win every time he roles off pit road to start the race. Ralph Dale Earnhart[thats his real name] is the exact opposite of that. Ralph Dale would not do any better in any car. Your trying to put his name with somebody or something to keep hiom from not being talked about. Go to the articles about him and write your opinion.If he ever starts winning or running up front people will have opinions and comments to make about him.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmanzytrophygirl said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 6:43 PMGO SMOKE! The best on any track...who's your mama, Chevy boy? GO SHR!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSS396Chevelle said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 7:07 PMIt doesn't matter if it was a fuel milage race. It takes skill to conserve fuel and still run out front. No matter what no one was going to catch him.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 9:03 PMthere will be more gambles on fuel and tires with the double file restarts...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhere said:
Jun 9, 2009 at 10:28 PMI'm not a fan of fuel mileage races. At least this one was being tried by many others, Tony outlasting and outsmarting the field and weather wasn't a factor so that's another plus. Fuel mileage will definitely be a factor in the future of racing and I guess now's as good a time as ever to be ready for it. Honestly though I think Tony could win with a car powered by cottage cheese.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportv1492 said:
Jun 10, 2009 at 12:10 AMI really don't care what prople say, but Tony is a winner, always has and always will. He and Ryan have a new team and are moving. Good going Tony.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrevinjim said:
Jun 10, 2009 at 3:15 PMNathan56--Haas CNC had the same deal with HMS that Stewart Haas has. That didn't seem to help Scott Riggs any. There must be something else to it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjdteats said:
Jun 10, 2009 at 8:04 PMI have a new name for Tony, How about SANDBAGGER last season with Gibbs.
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