It’s nearly been a year since Tony Stewart took over his wife’s drag racing duties. While the experience hasn’t been as fruitful as he might have hoped, he remains committed to the endeavor, aiming to position things favorably for her return.
Advertisement
During a recent appearance on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast, Stewart not only discussed the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing and its ramifications but also delved into the world of NHRA. He highlighted the key differences between NHRA and other racing series like NASCAR and IndyCar, addressing the unique challenges and dynamics of drag racing.
He said, “It’s this is a humbling sport. It’s not like what you and I were used to where you know we’ve got a three-and-a-half hour race we’ve got you know six eight pit stops that we’re going to have during the day and we’ve got three four 500 laps to to get the job done if we make a mistake we’re going to fix it.”
“Whereas drag racing it’s the opposite of that uh instead of being in the car for three and a half hours you’re literally driving the car three and a half seconds.” He continued to delve deeper into the nuances of team and driver contributions across different racing formats during his discussion.
Tony Stewart on the differences between NASCAR and NHRA. pic.twitter.com/q0rsmNdC0T
— HarvickHappyHour (@HarvickHappyPod) October 26, 2024
According to Stewart, in NASCAR, the lion’s share of success — about 70% — is attributed to the driver’s skills and the remaining 30% falls to the crew chief and the team. This dynamic is flipped in NHRA, where tuners and crew chiefs shoulder roughly 70% of the responsibility for the car’s performance.
In NHRA, a driver’s influence on speeding up the car is minimal, yet there are numerous ways they might inadvertently hinder performance during each run. Stewart also highlighted the dramatic consequences of mechanical failures in NHRA, where issues with a nitro motor can result in significant explosions and fires.
This explains the need for heavier, 10-pound uniforms, compared to those worn in NASCAR. While NASCAR also features a qualifying round, NHRA provides four qualifying sessions for each class, allowing drivers multiple chances to secure one of the top 16 times needed to progress to the event’s bracket-style elimination format.
Stewart addresses the difficult decision to close the operations at SHR
While he anticipated mixed reactions, the substantial backlash concerning job losses after the announcement of his team’s closure was particularly disheartening for Stewart. He elaborated that the timing of the announcement early in the season was strategic, aimed at ensuring his team members had ample opportunity to secure their futures.
Despite his intentions, he faced considerable criticism for the job losses. Understanding the challenges his staff faced, Stewart was proactive in mitigating the impact. He devised a comprehensive package that effectively secured employment for the majority of SHR personnel for the following year.
“We did what we had to do to look after our people,” he stated. “We did what we did to take care of our people, and we created great severance packages for them to take care of them and their families. … I would say over 80 percent of the employees at SHR have found homes for next year.”
In another development, NHRA will soon see the return of racing legend John Force, who is set to attend a race four months after a traumatic brain injury that sidelined him.
