Tony Stewart bringing passion to new role as team owner
By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tony Stewart is focused on his new role as a co-owner and driver for the new Stewart-Haas Racing.
Geoff Burke
Getty Images for NASCAR
The most surprising thing Tony Stewart has learned since becoming a team owner, he says, is just how quickly he wanted to return to the Charlotte area, to his new digs, to be around “his guys.”
“Believe it or not, I went home for about 10 days and actually didn’t enjoy it as much,” Stewart says. “I almost felt homesick for wanting to be back in Charlotte. And that’s the first time since I’ve started in this series that I can remember feeling that way.”
Home for Stewart typically means Columbus, Ind., where he returned – moving into his boyhood home – some three years ago, in part to get out of the glare of the spotlight that follows the sport’s stars on and off the race track.
It wasn’t the only reason. Just one of several.
It’s an unusual, unexpected admission. Stewart, who ended a successful, 10-year tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of 2008 to become co-owner of the newly-renamed Stewart-Haas Racing, has always looked forward to the series’ annual end-of-season break. It provided a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the sport, to free oneself from the clutter and the responsibility.
While the pace of activities at various shops might slow a bit during the poorly named offseason, it continues nonetheless. For drivers, though, the seemingly endless cycle of testing and appearances and actual racing has finally come to an end.
And now Stewart says he actually “wanted” to get back to the Charlotte area?
“As soon as the season was over, you normally want to go home and get away from everything. I’ve been just the opposite,” he says. “I’ve been away and wanted to get back as soon as I could.
“I didn’t feel guilty that I wasn’t working, but that’s where I wanted to be. That’s where my mind was every day. Just being back with a new team and spending time with my guys has been relaxing. It’s a lot of work, but at the same time, that has been my relaxation.”
Of course, there is plenty for Stewart, the two-time Cup champion, to do in his new role. But he says much of his initial focus will be on learning more about the ownership side, the management end of a sport that burns millions and millions of cubic dollars each year.
There are decisions that have to be made to get the two-car team ready for Stewart and Ryan Newman for the 2009 season. And those decisions run the gamut, from personnel to power plants to the smallest parts and pieces that hold everything together. Putting together a talented staff, he says, should help make the transition into ownership less stressful.
“The good thing is that there are not a lot of those decisions that I have to make,” he says. “I think part of having this combination has been hiring the right people to do the right jobs. And that’s what I’ve learned from Joe [Gibbs].
“Obviously, if it’s a major, major decision it has to go through somebody up there [at the top], but having somebody like Bobby Hutchens on board, somebody that’s been a part of this sport for so long and been with a great organization like Richard Childress Racing, he knows what it takes. He knows more than I know about what it takes to build this race team and get it where it needs to be.”
Hutchens served as competition director at RCR before transitioning into the role of general manager for Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines in 2007. He was Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s vice president of competition during the second half of 2008.
The face of the team, previously Haas CNC Racing, will have a decidedly different look for the 2009 season with two new drivers in Stewart and Newman, two new crew chiefs in Darian Grubb and Tony Gibson, as well as the addition of Hutchens.
But will the influx of new talent and new ideas be enough to raise the level of competition for the organization?
Although its drivers – which have included Jack Sprague, John Andretti, Jason Leffler, Ward Burton, Mike Bliss, Jeff Green, Johnny Sauter, Jeremy Mayfield, Max Papis, Scott Riggs, and Ken Schrader – have made 284 combined starts since 2002, there have been no wins. No top-five finishes. And only a single top-10.
Newman, 31, has been on something of a slide of his own, winning early in 2008 at Daytona, but finding himself shut out for the remainder of the year. A 13-time winner in Cup, he was a consistent top-10 performer until 2006, when he began a three-year run of missed opportunities. The opportunity to start fresh, he says, was too good to pass up.
Stewart’s own Cup record speaks for itself. Although he had only a single victory in 2008, it kept alive a streak of 10 years with at least one win for the two-time Cup champion.
Grubb stepped down as engineering manager at Hendrick Motorsports to take on the role of crew chief for Stewart and the No. 14 Chevrolet team. During his tenure at Hendrick, Grubb filled in for crew chief Chad Knaus in 2006, leading Jimmie Johnson to a pair of wins in four races, and he served as Casey Mears’ crew chief in 2007, leading Mears to a win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Gibson, crew chief for the Mark Martin/Aric Almirola tandem at Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2008, will serve as crew chief for Newman and the team’s No. 39 effort.
Stewart says he expects his organization to contend – and to win. But even he admits he isn’t sure just how long that might take.
“It’s impossible to know what’s going to happen in the series even when you’ve been with a team for 10 years like we were with Joe and [team president] J.D. [Gibbs]," he says. “... We’re going to go to Daytona and do the best job we can, then go to California [Auto Club Speedway] the next week and do the best job we can there. That’s what our goal is every week.
“As long as we leave the race track each week knowing we gave 100 percent, that’s what we’re going to be happy with.”
Until then, Stewart will watch and learn as he adjusts to his new role. Like winning, it too may take some time.
“It’s like going to school for the fist time,” he says. “Every day that I go through the shop, I learn a new person or a new aspect of the operation that I didn’t know before.
“It’s going to be a long growing process – this isn’t going to be something that, a year from now, I’m going to know everything about it. But I’m really enjoying and looking forward to the learning process and learning how to make us successful.”
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32 responses to "Tony Stewart bringing passion to new role as team owner". Post a Comment.
Robert Wingert said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 9:49 AMGo Tony and thanks for returning to Chevy where you belong.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportGeorgia Ross said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 11:14 AMPassion is such a perfect word to describe Smoke--wishing him and Ryan a super first year.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPat Draper said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 11:44 AMI was very unhappy when Tony left Gibbs after so many years, but now it seems he has found himself in the owner/driver role. Tony has been my driver almost from the start i have been watching nascar for 7 yrs now and i love it. And both Tony and Ryan are from my state. I hope Tony has found what will really make him happy and he and ryan will have a good year.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner Boehmert said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 11:58 AMi like it when the sport has given much to a driver and he gives back in return...Harvick is another driver who is investing back into the sport...i wish them much sucess...they are the future of NASCAR...
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcarole collins said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 12:23 PMI can't wait for February. No doubt Stewart-Haas will be very sucessful. It will be exciting to watch it happen.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportNancy Willson said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 12:42 PMGood luck Tony and Ryan - it will be exciting to watch you guys in your new roles. And I know you'll both have wins in 2009 - with your combined talent and experience - it won't take long to see both of you in Victory Lane!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportdave ginger said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 1:02 PMTony's a great driver to bad he couldn't make Toyota a winner for him more than once. Chevy may not be around much longer.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportGladys Bedwell said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 1:21 PMIt is hard to say when either of them (Tony or Ryan) will see their 1st win but I bet we see them in the thick of the competition right from the get go. There is never a dull moment being a Tony Stewart fan. Love you to death Tony and wish you and Ryan all the luck in 2009. Come on February!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhil Siders said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 2:41 PMTotal racer! That's the guy that when I first saw I knew that history was being changed. Sometimes you get that feeling about someone and that is one that has always stayed with me. I had/have absolutely no reserve about how successful Tony will do and I (albeit as unimportant as my opinion is), know he will do well right out of the box in '09. I won't say good luck because he will attract success where ever he goes. If anyone can capture the title next year against the oddsmakers it will be him. His family has to be very proud, and I know he will have probably one of the most aggressively talented, dedicated race teams ever conceived! A hard to beat combination for all the rest.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSharleen Snygg said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 3:10 PMMy rookie NASCAR year was the same year as Tony's. Now we can have a rookie owner/driver year. Tony has always been my driver and always will be. Good Luck Tony and Ryan. What to do with all the Orange #20 items?
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» Confirm Abuse ReportDebi Watts said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 3:25 PMRegardless of the team... Tony's still going to be #1 in my book!
Report as AbuseIs there a place I can get rid of a house full of #20 stuff??? LOL
Go Smoke go!!!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner Boehmert said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 4:10 PMsomeone wants to part with Tony's 1999 diecast...let me know...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSharleen Snygg said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 4:10 PMDebi
Report as AbuseI think we have to keep it !!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmyrna perkins said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 4:18 PMI wonder...................................
Report as AbuseHow long will it take for Bizarro Tony to come out for a visit???
How long will Tony and Ryan get along??
They are both fellow Hoosiers but they have vastly differing personalities. I think it will be a rough year or two.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbill thompson said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 6:37 PMwhat are you willing to pay 12
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBernadette Motherway said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 7:08 PMI think Scene Daily just started their own auction website!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner Boehmert said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 7:41 PM#15 - Bill...$50 for the Home Depot car...you do know how much they go for?...$180 - $400...hang on to your Stewart items, if you're a true fan of Tony's...it's the driver that counts...not who sponsors him...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportRich Turner said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 8:21 PMTony and Ryan Best of Luck in the New Year and Beyond! Smoke drive the hell out of em. Don't hold back to pay the bills. I think you both will do just fine.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHoward Englishman said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 10:53 PMMyrna, Its not a matter if they get along, they do get along just fine includig Krista, Ryans wife. Ryan and Tony fish together and have alot in common. They will probadly have there best run in Daytona with a win or will be in the top 5 right out of the box. They have all the key people in place and Haas is a great organization
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHoward Englishman said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 10:53 PMMyrna, Its not a matter if they get along, they do get along just fine includig Krista, Ryans wife. Ryan and Tony fish together and have alot in common. They will probadly have there best run in Daytona with a win or will be in the top 5 right out of the box. They have all the key people in place and Haas is a great organization
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHoward Englishman said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 10:53 PMMyrna, Its not a matter if they get along, they do get along just fine includig Krista, Ryans wife. Ryan and Tony fish together and have alot in common. They will probadly have there best run in Daytona with a win or will be in the top 5 right out of the box. They have all the key people in place and Haas is a great organization
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» Confirm Abuse ReportGladys Bedwell said:
Dec 28, 2008 at 11:55 PMAlot of my 20 stuff will be packed away mainly because I just don't have the space but tell you what, I can't wait to go shopping for #14. Got a Stewart-Haas T-shirt but plan on having a lot more #14 stuff by the time Daytona rolls around.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHelen Aycock said:
Dec 29, 2008 at 9:55 AMMy #20 room will stay just as it is. I will be adding #14 stuff. No matter what Tony's current number is, he will always be my driver! I already have my #14 shirt.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcharlene young said:
Dec 29, 2008 at 10:22 AMWhen I started this yr. watching the races I really only knew about Jeff Gorden as he seem to everyone's favorite that i knew, but for some reason I liked Tony and his style of driving and never have regretted that decision. I don't like the color orange even though it is the state of Tenn. colors which I live in, Now I am happy with the new colors and am sure Tony and Ryan will give us an exciting yr in 09. and yeah I'm keeping my "oranges" lol
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» Confirm Abuse ReportRex Lee said:
Dec 29, 2008 at 12:50 PMTony "Smoke" Stewart. Best race car driver ever. Driving the #14 Chevy. The domination of hard nosed, gas pedal smashed to the floor, fender banging racers has begun! Spoken like a Smoke fan huh? I don't have alot of Smokes #20 stuff. Just a couple of caps and some t-shirts that probably nobody would put on anyway. But I do have a big orange #20 flag thats NOT for sale. See ya'll in the "winners circle" come Daytona!!!!!! GO SMOKE GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHELEN FORD said:
Dec 29, 2008 at 2:16 PMGood luck Tony, I hope this all goes well for you even though you have given up the orange(my state colors) and Toyota(our truck).......I am sure you will be happy in your new digs, your new colors and back in a Chevrolet.........you add a great deal to the sport and we wish you well but don't beat up on my man Jimmie toooooooo much! Seriouly GOOD LUCK!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportLynn Meeks said:
Dec 29, 2008 at 4:56 PMI'm keeping all of my #20 things, I just move them to another room, because that's where he got his start in NASCAR. It will be hard to see someone else in that 20 car after ten years but at least he's happy and he's back in a Chevy.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAngie Gerdom said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 10:49 AMTeam "Hoosier Hottie" will be a force to be reckoned with in 2009!! It was time for Tony to move on . . . can't wait for the new season to begin. Although it sucks that Tony can't drive in the Bud Shootout (please someone correct me if I'm wrong about that).
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» Confirm Abuse ReportTrish said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:15 PMWhat a breath of fresh air, that there are no negative comments about Tony Stewart. I join all these TRUE Smoke fans, in wishing him all the success in the world. Go Smoke !
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttraci weled said:
Jan 4, 2009 at 8:10 PMTony I am so happy for you!!! You have been my fav. since your indy days. You are why I watch nascar. I moved right along with you. You and Newman are a great fit, and I know you will be at the top in no time. I can't wait to see you grow and shine.
Report as Abusealoha from your Phoenix friend who was lucky enough to speak to you before you won your last race at home in Indy.
Traci
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» Confirm Abuse ReportDouglas Miller said:
Jan 7, 2009 at 12:44 AMYears (real years) ago on the dirt at West Memphis I started as 'the' crew that won enough for me to get in the seat and win some more. Then we started going to the Devil's Bowl and everything between up to Penn. All the while I became a 'pick-up' (fly by Memphis & pick me up) crew member (back tire) [30 to 45 sec. times in t-shirts & blue jeans] on BA's or CY's car, who ever picked me up. I've been a winged Sprint car & a Sprint Cup car person, since the '60s, even before it became Winston Cup. There are a scant few (low single digits) [I,m not even close enough for shot guns & hand grenades] drivers that have the depth and pedigree as the main man - Tony Stewart. I wondered what Tony was going to be/do_do/be "later on". I am not wondering any more - and neither are anybody else : How do you politely say ... "Hang-on, here comes Tony AGAIN...!
Report as AbuseHe already drives, jumps out & fixes, and WINS his own cars. We'll just have to keep him from 'fix'n it on the NASCAR track'.l Do it with your 'buds in the garage.
Have FUN..., while the rest of us enjoy you, Tony...!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportMarianna Hampton said:
Jan 25, 2009 at 4:44 PMDouglas #31 that is very well said. I love racin on dirt, last year is the first time 6 or 7 years that I have missed the last races of the season at Manzanita in Phoenix. It is an excellent place to see "Tony the Owner" at work. I am really looking forward to watching "T-t-O" in NASCAR. Watching the off-season has wet my appetite for the "real get-down and go racing" Go Tony!
Report as AbuseI am going to miss Zippy though. Perhaps after next year when his contract runs out he will come over.
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