Over the years, Stewart Haas Racing has enjoyed considerable success, emerging as one of the top teams in NASCAR today. The team started out with American Industrialist Gene Haas, starting the Haas CNC back in the 2003 season. Ever since then, it has grown by leaps and bounds. But one of the biggest moments for the team was back in 2008 when the then 2-time Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart, announced his partnership with Haas and the team became Stewart-Haas Racing.
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Thereafter Stewart went on to win his third and final championship with the team as a part owner. It is kind of hard to believe that it has been 14 long years since that magical partnership took place between Haas and Stewart. Each year on July 10th, the team celebrates its anniversary.
Stewart Haas Racing celebrates their 14th birthday
Stewart Haas Racing recently posted an explained video on their Twitter account. The video had a voice-over explaining the background story of the team and details about Tony Stewart’s involvement. They also mentioned how much the team has achieved from its early days as a 2 car team to being a 4 car powerhouse of today.
The video mentioned, “July 10th will always be a significant day in Stewart Haas Racing History. On this day in 2008, Tony Stewart announced that he would be teaming up with Gene Haas to form an all-new Cup Series team. The team, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, became Stewart Haas Racing.”
“Over the next fourteen years, SHR would go on to become the Cup Series’ biggest organization… The trophy case filled up quick, capturing 99 NASCAR wins, including 69 in the Cup Series, 2 Cup Series championships, and a Daytona 500. Today we celebrate 14 unforgettable years.”
Tony Stewart was the first owner-driver to win a championship since 1992
The 2011 season was the final time when Tony Stewart would win a championship. However, with three championships in the bag, this one was a bit more special than the others. Why, you may ask?
Well, it was because after spending his entire career with Joe Gibbs Racing, this was the first time since, Alan Kulwicki (1992), that a driver had won a title while also being an owner of a Cup Series Team.
That’s right, having bought into the team in 2008, the SHR team celebrated its first championship with Stewart after a nail-biting finish at the Homestead Miami Speedway. Throughout the race, it was Stewart vs Carl Edwards. But in the end, it was Smoke who cleared the checkered flag with a margin of 1.306 seconds.
Although both drivers ended the season equal on points, it was a race-win advantage that made Stewart victorious that year.
