"I keep seeing progress each week" - Tony Stewart optimistic of Stewart-Haas Racing's chances in 2022, despite numbers showing otherwise

NASCAR Hall of Famer and team owner Tony Stewart is optimistic about Stewart-Haas Racing's progress in the 2022 season so far. Stewart was outspoken about the team's struggles last year and did not shy away from acknowledging that the organization had something amiss.

Stewart-Haas Racing's official Twitter handle recently posted a video of the 50-year-old as he spoke on the Next Gen Car and his team's performance among other topics. He said:

“Last year was not a year that Stewart-Haas Racing is used to having by any means, but coming with the new car you have the ability to get ahead early or get behind early.”

Stewart highlighted the progress he has seen the team make in the 2022 season and said:

“I keep seeing progress each week, so I feel like I’m happy with the progress. It’s hard to know when you start the season where you’re going to be at, especially with a new car like this. Once you get going what you want to see progress, progression, and moving toward the front of the field, and I feel like consistently we’re moving that direction and it’s not just one or two of the cars. All the cars are moving that direction together.”

The team, co-owned by Gene Haas and Tony Stewart, has been on a resurgence since its struggles last year. Chase Briscoe drove his #14 Ford Mustang into Victory Lane earlier this year at Phoenix, which cemented their progress.

The 2022 season results, however, paint a different picture. The statistics for Chase Briscoe and Aric Almirola have been better this year with multiple top-10s for both drivers and a win for Briscoe. Kevin Harvick and Cole Custer, on the other hand, have struggled.

Harvick has only managed six top-10s this year compared to his nine in twelve races last year. He also has two top-5s and two DNFs this year, identical to last year. Cole Custer has not scored a single top-10 this year and has retired four times. He did manage a top-10 last year.

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Tony Stewart talks about completing Double Duty

Double Duty refers to one of the most difficult-to-achieve racing feats in the world that involves a driver taking part in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Both the events take place on the same day annually and require great stamina for a driver to go through both.

Tony Stewart has been one of the few drivers to achieve this feat as he spoke in a video on Twitter, saying:

“I think in my entire racing career which kinda showed when we ran double-duty both of those times, how tough you had to be, and the toughness it took to complete both of those events.”

Watch the complete video below:

Kurt Busch was the last NASCAR driver to attempt Double-Duty in 2014.