"It was a proud moment for me" - Tony Stewart recalls the emotional impact of SHR's first victory after leaving Joe Gibbs to join Gene Haas
Stewart Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart reflected on his first victory with the team in 2009 at the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This win marked the organization’s first triumph and signaled the their rise in NASCAR.
After winning two championships with Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart left the team at the end of the 2008 season to join forces with Gene Haas as a co-owner. Originally founded as Haas CNC Racing in 2003, the team remained winless until Stewart's arrival, who transformed the it into a championship contender.
In a recent conversation with former SHR driver Kevin Harvick, Stewart recalled that Gene Haas was barely expecting him to finish on the lead lap for his maiden All-Star race with the team. To Haas' surprise, Stewart clinched the victory, delivering the organization’s inaugural win.
The 53-year-old described the victory as a proud moment, recalling how his team members shed tears of joy in Victory Lane. He said:
"It was a proud moment for me because I had taken a big leap leaving a very established and very high-performing team, to go out and join with Gene Haas and start a new venture together."
"The thing that stood out the most from that night was not the million dollars, not that I proved the naysayers wrong, It was watching men on that race team, that were literally in tears in victory lane. It was people that had been with the Haas organization before I got there and had never won a race. Here we got them in victory lane and to see the emotion on their face, it totally changed what I thought our first win might feel like."
Stewart clinched SHR's first points-paying win at Pocono a few weeks later, followed by three more victories at Daytona, Watkins Glen, and Kansas. He ultimately finished the season sixth in the driver standings.
Tony Stewart reflects on winning Stewart Haas Racing's maiden title
Tony Stewart put together a sensational playoff run in 2011, securing the Stewart Haas Racing's first title. Despite being pessimistic about their chances before the playoffs, he won five of the 10 playoff races, ultimately defeating Carl Edwards on a tiebreaker to secure the title.
Reflecting on one of his standout memories with the team, Stewart told Kevin Harvick:
"2011, winning our championship and winning five of the last 10 races. I sat there the day before we went to Chicago in media day and said 'We don't even belong here!' and then we go rattle off two wins right out of the gate and win five of the 10 and win the championship in a tiebreaker. That stood out," he said [from 1:06].
Stewart also vividly remembers Harvick's title-winning campaign in 2014, claiming the championship as a co-owner. As the season comes to a close, Stewart will part ways with SHR, with Gene Haas set to field a single Cup entry under the Haas Factory Team banner next season.