Tony Stewart had a stellar career in NASCAR, but unfortunately, his team hasn’t been having a good time for the past two years. Stewart-Haas Racing managed just three wins in the entire 2022 season. In comparison, it was surely better than their single win in 2021, but it is certainly not enough to compete with the big guns.

One would have expected the Next Gen cars to help SHR’s cause last season but they didn’t. SHR hasn’t looked the strongest among the teams fielding more than two cars. They managed to finish 17 times in the top 5 and 37 times in the top 10, but their performance has been far from convincing. However, Tony Stewart looks quite optimistic for the upcoming season.

Tony Stewart sends a warning to his NASCAR competitors

Tony Stewart knows better than most when it comes to winning at the highest level. That being said, his team has struggled to do so against the likes of Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports in recent times. That hasn’t stopped the three-time Cup Series champion from believing in a good performance this year.

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Stewart-Haas Racing’s recent social media post saw Tony deliver a message, “I don’t know if it’s necessarily an advantage but I can tell you what the history of SHR has been about. [It] is that if we get knocked down, we find a way to not only get up but we find a way to be stronger because of it.

“I think with how our season was last year, I think this whole building, all four of these teams will rise and be better than what they were last year. And that’s not good news for the competition.”

Tony’s statement does carry some weight but it can only be proven by SHR’s performance on the tracks. Along with Gene Haas, Tony will have to assess how to turn the odds in SHR’s favor this season.

Changes at SHR so far for the 2023 season

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The Stewart-Haas Racing owners have already taken some steps to strengthen their cause for the upcoming season. Cole Cluster managed to finish in the top 10 just three times last season. This led the owners to replace him with Ryan Preece. The Connecticut-born driver was impressive at the Busch Light Clash, finishing seventh, and has shown promising signs.

To get the maximum out of Preece, SHR has roped in Chad Johnston as his crew chief. Chad has previously served as the crew chief for drivers including Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Larson, and Matt Kenseth.

With Kevin Harvick retiring at the end of the season, he would be motivated better than ever to register his 2 title triumph this season. Aric Almirola and Chase Briscoe can step up and help out in their own ways.

All-in-all, the 2023 season could be the one for SHR. The scope is definitely there but it is the execution part that matters the most. Can Tony Stewart’s optimism reap success for the team? We’ll get a better idea once we are done with the Daytona 500.

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