Tony Stewart “tired of taking the blame” after dismal performance by his NASCAR cup series team

Stewart Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart recently opened up about his influence on the team's performance. He shared how 'tired he is of taking the blame' for its downfall over the last couple of seasons.

Since the introduction of the next-gen car, Stewart's Cup-Series outfit has been reduced to a shadow of its former legacy. Following their 10-win season in 2020, they've collected only four wins over the last three years, with retiring Kevin Harvick and the team going winless last season.

The blame for the Cup Series squad's dwindling performance was directed towards co-owner Tony Stewart. Many fans pointed fingers at the three-time Cup champion's trackside absence and his active involvement in other endeavors as one of the major reasons for SHR's poor results.

The 52-year-old team owner is fed up with the criticism, as he suggested the fans need a "reality check". Stewart said that he just provides the tools for his team and reasoned that the organization just hasn't done a good job in the past couple of seasons.

"We've had two miserable years in a row and I'm tired of taking the blame from everybody on why the cars are not running good. I think the fans need a reality check and reminder that I'm not the crew chief, the engineer, I don't dictate the setups on the cars.

"I give these guys the tools to do the job and we just haven't got it done the last couple of years," he said on SiriusXM radio.

Stewart had earlier said the introduction of the next-gen car caught SHR off guard in 2022 and suffered from the repercussions over the past couple of seasons.

As to his absence from the weekly events, Tony Stewart said that his presence at an event doesn't affect the results of the team. He said:

"When I am at the racetrack, there's nothing I do. I just follow along and watch and cheerlead. That's my job on race weekends. It doesn't matter whether I'm there or not, the performance isn't going to change if I'm there or if I'm absent."

---

Tony Stewart hints at major changes at SHR if the downward trend continues

The Stewart Haas Racing co-owner believes the onus is now on the team members to change its current trajectory and return to winning ways.

Tony Stewart indicated that there would be "major changes" in the organization if they fail to meet expectations for the season. He said on SiriusXM radio:

"...We're going to have to get some races into it but if we're not having the results we're looking for, we're going to start making some major changes. So, everybody knows that, everybody understands that, and it's those guys at SHR to take what we have and make it better. ... We need to see the needle moving in the right direction and make progress."

With a revamped driver lineup, a new logo, and high motivation for 2024, Tony Stewart's NASCAR Cup Series outfit hopes to make upward progression.