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Two Years After Closing the Doors of Eldora for NASCAR, Tony Stewart Has a Change of Heart

Published 07/15/2023, 5:46 AM EDT

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There was a time when NASCAR broke Tony Stewart‘s heart. Not literally, but metaphorically. It happened back in 2021 when the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing went to NASCAR with a potential offer to host a cup series race in Eldora Speedway, a clay dirt oval he owns. But NASCAR made some strong remarks on the offer that led Tony Stewart to close the doors of Eldora for NASCAR. However, that seems to have changed.

Tony has been holding a grievance for NASCAR’s attention towards the cup series offer since 2021. However, the season of grievance for Tony is now over!

Co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing has finally opened the doors of Eldora for NASCAR. But why is Tony not upset about NASCAR anymore? There’s clearly a missing piece in this puzzle. Maybe it’s a potential partnership opportunity that changed Tony’s mind. 

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What Exactly Happened Two Years Ago in 2021 That Led Tony Stewart to Close Eldora’s Door to NASCAR?

In 2021, Tony Stewart made a very triggering decision. Initially, people thought that it was NASCAR that dropped Eldora from their Truck Series schedule. However, Stewart, later on, came out to tell that it was actually them who didn’t renew their contract with NASCAR. 

And there was a strong reason why Tony did that. During an interview the same year, Stewart revealed he was disappointed with the fact that his track wasn’t even considered once for the cup series.

Tony didn’t even get the opportunity to talk about his track’s compatibility for conducting the cup series. Talking to AP, the NASCAR legend said, “I asked if Eldora was under consideration for an Xfinity or Cup race in the future, and I was told not at this time.” Not even getting the chance to prove his track’s ability, Tony felt upset. It was something that he took to his heart and told the officials of NASCAR, “We are done!” And that’s when Tony supposedly decided to close the door of Eldora for NASCAR.

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For the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, the biggest upsetting point was the lack of communication with NASCAR. He made a statement, pinpointing the same issue. Tony said, “I am extremely frustrated as a track owner that there was zero communication from NASCAR.” Things are not as they used to be between him and NASCAR. Now the doors that were closed back then, are now opened by Tony. But what led to that?

Tony Stewart’s Change of Heart Could Result in a Potential Partnership With NASCAR for the Cup Series

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It’s been almost two years since the spat between Tony Stewart and NASCAR. But since then, Tony has worked hard to make his race tracks one of the best in the motorsports industry. The NASCAR legend now believes that Eldora Speedway can host any racing event that’s there in the world, including the well-known NASCAR Cup series.

Besides, the opportunity that was once a dream for Tony may now come true. 

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According to sources, Bristol Motor Speedway might not continue hosting races in the next NASCAR Cup season. After conducting so many successful racing events at Eldora Speedway, Eldora Million being the most popular one, Tony has proved the track’s flexibility in terms of hosting racing. So there’s a high chance that NASCAR might indeed come forward with a long-awaited opportunity to host cup series races on Tony’s track. 

As per sportsnaut.com, it seems as if Tony Stewart is over the 2021 kerfuffle with NASCAR. Sharing his feelings about hosting the cup series, Tony Stewart said, “I understand the reasons we were told why they went to Bristol with it, but my feelings are that we would go above and beyond anything we’re already doing now, do more than we already do to make sure it would be a huge event.” 

Furthermore, from Tony’s side, the preparation has already started. And if NASCAR gives him the green flag to host cup races, he’s definitely going to utilize the opportunity to the core. In a similar context, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing concluded, “But that’s in NASCAR’s hands at this point, but yes, we would be absolutely interested in that conversation, yes.”

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Now that Tony Stewart is finally open to the idea of hosting the NASCAR Cup series, do you think NASCAR will indeed give Tony a chance? If that happens, it’s going to be another memorable moment in NASCAR history as we experience stock cars running on a dirt track once again. It will be so much fun!

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Written by:

Shanu Singh

29Articles

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Shanu Singh is a NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports. With a passion for motorsports, he has been covering the thrilling world of NASCAR for a while now. Known for his expertise and insightful reporting, Shanu has a keen eye for the details that help him deliver accurate NASCAR updates to fans.
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Edited by:

Ranvijay Singh