Will changes next year help Stewart?

Tennessee Racing

Tennessee Racing

Formerly Stewart Fan
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
14,386
Points
1,033
Location
Tennessee
I read yesterday he said the setups and package for the Cup cars didn't fit his driving style at all. Next year we will have reduced horsepower among other changes. Hopefully something will help him. It's sad to see a driver with that resume running back there with the field fillers.
 
Stewart Fan said:
I read yesterday he said the setups and package for the Cup cars didn't fit his driving style at all. Next year we will have reduced horsepower among other changes. Hopefully something will help him. It's sad to see a driver with that resume running back there with the field fillers.
Click to expand...

In spite of the fact that Harvick won the championship, I am really doubtful that Stewart Haas is a top 5 organization . There was no sign of an overall consistent performance anywhere in the organization . I think that they can build on the success of the Harvick finish . Perhaps they can lure another top crew chief in the off season. Maybe they can get Grubb back . Don't know . Otherwise , I think Tony is toast, IMO.
 
yeah it was, between he and Johnson, they killed me on my fantasy picks, I kept thinking they would rise from their lethargic states and jump up and start winning their share. I think in this case even though Tony is getting up there, time will help him, he has had a couple of rough years back to back.
 
ted@economy said:
In spite of the fact that Harvick won the championship, I am really doubtful that Stewart Haas is a top 5 organization . There was no sign of an overall consistent performance anywhere in the organization . I think that they can build on the success of the Harvick finish . Perhaps they can lure another top crew chief in the off season. Maybe they can get Grubb back . Don't know . Otherwise , I think Tony is toast, IMO.
Click to expand...
Bush finished 8th, 7th and 11th since the crew chief change, those are pretty decent numbers for a not even first year team..not to mention the 4 car who mostly dominated all year dragging an albatross around their necks. Two championships since 2011, if that ain't a top 5 organization, show me one lately. Gibbs? haven't won since Tony left, Roush?, MWR? Penske and Hendrick are two that have won championships lately. Got to say from the record that Stewart Haas even with the golden goose 10 car is doing really well.
 
Last edited:
StandOnIt said:
Bush finished 8th, 7th and 11th since the crew chief change, those are pretty decent numbers for a not even first year team..not to mention the 4 car who mostly dominated all year dragging an albatross around their necks. Two championships since 2011, if that ain't a top 5 organization, show me one lately. Gibbs? haven't won since Tony left, Roush?, MWR? Penske and Hendrick are two that have won championships lately. Got to say from the record that Stewart Haas even with the golden goose 10 car is doing really well.
Click to expand...

Yes I would put them 4th behind Hendrick, Penske, & Gibbs, but ahead of Roush & Childress. Harvick won the championship mostly with the crew that didn't excel for years with Newman, Busch did pretty well with a first year team. Patrick may just never be better than a 12th-18th team. Stewart may have to come to grips with the fact that to stay competitive at 40 requires much more effort, training, diet, focus, etc than it did when he was 30.
 
I don't think they got beat by better engineered equipment etc. I think the Hardware was top notch in 2014, I can't see much improvement there.
Harvick and Childers proved the point.

They just need better race day performances from the other drivers and crew chief combos.
Tonys cup fortune in driving terms has been hurt by unfortunate events in recent years, but the down turn started with the loss of Darien Grubb.

I doubt that the new rules will effect or boost the personnel issues.
 
StandOnIt said:
Bush finished 8th, 7th and 11th since the crew chief change, those are pretty decent numbers for a not even first year team..not to mention the 4 car who mostly dominated all year dragging an albatross around their necks. Two championships since 2011, if that ain't a top 5 organization, show me one lately. Gibbs? haven't won since Tony left, Roush?, MWR? Penske and Hendrick are two that have won championships lately. Got to say from the record that Stewart Haas even with the golden goose 10 car is doing really well.
Click to expand...

I have to be very careful what I say , I do have a lawsuit that I am launching against Stewart Haas .( It was due to their poor performance that I suffered the indignity of an 8th place finish) .
I think that the organization has some great talent . Tony , Kurt and Kevin are three of the top drivers in Cup. They have a top 5 crew chief in Childers . But the organization seems to be a work in progress .
 
I think tony just flat out hasn't healed from the injury. the guy says it hurts to walk. If it hurts to walk how can you possibly modulate the gas pedal as well as you could pre injury. these guys to a large extent drive the car off the corners with the throttle. that feel and connection to the gas pedal is crucial. The differences are so small in this sport. If your a tenth off thats too much for your team to just make a better car around. I also think of all people tony is the best at adapting to different cars. heck he has won in everything he has driven. I wouldn't expect him to say you know my leg is still jacked up and I can't drive the car right. broken bones take a long time to heal I think it possible for it to still be getting better. I know I suffered pain in my broken thumb for a couple years later.

as for the rest of the team. I think daniel knost just flat out isn't a good CC. for kurt to have been that off is simply unacceptable. Something is wrong with the car for kurt to have been that slow most of the time. When they put tony gibson in a light switch flipped and kurt started being fast off the truck and in practice. Kurt is in the top 7-8 drivers in this sport. if he is in the 20's speed wise they haven't put the right car under him.
 
Even though Tony keeps insisting that the leg injury isn't holding him back I don't think he's telling the truth. I read an article that said he will be having 2 leg surgeries in the offseason. It's still not 100% healed.
 
Greg said:
I don't think they got beat by better engineered equipment etc. I think the Hardware was top notch in 2014, I can't see much improvement there.
Harvick and Childers proved the point.

They just need better race day performances from the other drivers and crew chief combos.
Tonys cup fortune in driving terms has been hurt by unfortunate events in recent years, but the down turn started with the loss of Darien Grubb.

I doubt that the new rules will effect or boost the personnel issues.
Click to expand...
Between the distraction of the leg and all the rehab in partner with the tragedy this summer, this season was a no win situation for him in my mind. I also think outside of Childers they are pretty raw at crew chief.... not to mention they expanded to 4 cars this yr. Next yr will set the record for this team but I would put them as the 2nd Chevy team just behind HMS.
 
Wrangler1 said:
Between the distraction of the leg and all the rehab in partner with the tragedy this summer, this season was a no win situation for him in my mind. I also think outside of Childers they are pretty raw at crew chief.... not to mention they expanded to 4 cars this yr. Next yr will set the record for this team but I would put them as the 2nd Chevy team just behind HMS.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with the right crew chiefs three of the four teams have unlimited potential.
But I do think it is a Heaven and Hell proposition. The top shelf CCs may not care for the volatile fireworks, or at least hope for a little more common sense.

We can debate raw driving talent for ages but if I was a CC and wanting to connect long term to perform for years like Petty/Inman did, Gordon/Evernham or Johnson/Knaus has in recent years I would hope for drivers with the same level headed demeanor.
Ones I could work with for over ten years, continuity is huge. I am thrilled that Harvick has Childers, maybe the only five star option that has the patience for him.

I think Tony should pay Zippodelli whatever it takes to CC again, to get back to ever running like he did in the past. He is also fighting Father Time, not a lot of time to hope it will work out with a new face.
 
Its been a rough couple of years for Smoke. He's dealt with more than any of these guys have. If he keeps winning, he'll stay. He'll fight through pain and whatever else. He would've quit now if he didn't believe he could win. If he doesn't win next season, I think he'll kick himself out of the car. The guy loves to win. If he can't do that in a Cup car, he'll go somewhere else. Dirt late models probably, or try asphalt.

Whatever the case, he'll be racing till he dies, just probably not in Cup.
 
I think chad johnston is actually pretty good. he and martin truex were wiked fast at MWR. If he could put a MWR car under truex that was fast I think he has to be pretty good. Age HAS to be a factor with tony drivers do fall of and as I get to be over 40 myself I totally understand how it happens. Your body just isn't the same once you pass your mid 30's. As a driver I personally think I would have been best in my late 20's. physical conditioning helps a ton but tony is neither young nor fit. I think he has a few more wins left in the tank but thats it.
 
Marcingak said:
Even though Tony keeps insisting that the leg injury isn't holding him back I don't think he's telling the truth. I read an article that said he will be having 2 leg surgeries in the offseason. It's still not 100% healed.
Click to expand...

What do you think of the idea of Tony taking a few races off in 2015, until he knows for sure that his leg is better?
 
I think the Kevin Ward ordeal took a lot out of Tony. I don't think it's the leg. He wasn't setting the track on fire before either the KW incident or the leg fracture.
I think it's difficult to be an owner/driver at this level of competition. I think things will gel.
 
Stewart Fan said:
I read yesterday he said the setups and package for the Cup cars didn't fit his driving style at all. Next year we will have reduced horsepower among other changes. Hopefully something will help him. It's sad to see a driver with that resume running back there with the field fillers.
Click to expand...

The 0 Ride Height Package + the aero changes and the set ups they encouraged is the untold story of the season. Numerous drivers were screwed when they couldn't adapt or the engineers couldn't create the feel they needed--11, 18, 20, 48, 14, 5, 99 and I'm sure that there are others. Meanwhile, the 4, 24, 2, and 22 went nuts with the tightness of the set ups. I am hoping that the new package will get some of the tightness out--my Toyota drivers need it.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
I think chad johnston is actually pretty good. he and martin truex were wiked fast at MWR. If he could put a MWR car under truex that was fast I think he has to be pretty good. Age HAS to be a factor with tony drivers do fall of and as I get to be over 40 myself I totally understand how it happens. Your body just isn't the same once you pass your mid 30's. As a driver I personally think I would have been best in my late 20's. physical conditioning helps a ton but tony is neither young nor fit. I think he has a few more wins left in the tank but thats it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but Chad struggled with the crucial calls on the box. Can't tell you how many races Martin was strategized out of. Good dude, with good potential however.
 
Revman said:
The 0 Ride Height Package + the aero changes and the set ups they encouraged is the untold story of the season. Numerous drivers were screwed when they couldn't adapt or the engineers couldn't create the feel they needed--11, 18, 20, 48, 14, 5, 99 and I'm sure that there are others. Meanwhile, the 4, 24, 2, and 22 went nuts with the tightness of the set ups. I am hoping that the new package will get some of the tightness out--my Toyota drivers need it.
Click to expand...
The scary part is that Larson didn't know the difference and ran with them while they struggled.
 
BobbyFord said:
The scary part is that Larson didn't know the difference and ran with them while they struggled.
Click to expand...

Anybody that says that Kyle Larson isn't special is an idiot. I wonder if it is easier to drive one of those things when you don't know what it could/should feel like?
 
I still think the expansion hurt SHR, despite the 4 team winning it all. They had some very poor performances by the crews on pit road and that was across the board at SHR.

As far as Tony is concerned, I don't buy the whole rules package doesn't suit his style. He's been around a long time now, he's driven and won in many different cars and setups. I don't believe that the package affects his ability and doesn't cater to his "style". I mean really what are the differences in "style"? Some like it tighter, some looser, some might want more drive off others might want to divebomb the corners but at the end of the day they all want to go as fast as possible. Everyone's "style" is wanting to go faster than everyone else.

I think his problem is two fold. One being that his CC has not gotten a handle on the setups and what Tony needs to be his best. Two being that I believe Tony has let the mental side of things affect his driving. With his injury and the KW incident that's alot to think about and if he's hesitating even in the slightest the he'll be running back in 25th. To run up front with these guys you've got to be on the very edge, and I believe Tony has lot that edge for the time being. Will he ever be able to get it back and return to winning multiple races a year? Only time will tell.
 
Going part time isn't a good option imo.
Racing is an all of nothing thing.
Every week missed is a loss of knowledge in something that is always evolving.
The injury and tragedy alone hurt the performance for to many reasons to list, but lost time in itself is part of that equation.

Getting back on the horse and digging is the best thing to keep doing imo.

Note: The downtime is good to do the needed leg surgeries. I wish him the best with that , but he needs to be ready to go full steam for the 500 in February.
 
BobbyFord said:
I've never seen a youngster search around the track like that for a faster line :idunno:
Click to expand...
thats a great point. listen to what david pearson said about driving a car. he said shut up about how loose or tight the car is and just change the line where you drive the car. These guys do tend I think to run a certain line on the track and adjust the car to run THAT line. perhaps to a large extent the tire and age of the pavement forces this to happen. but not on all tracks. take a driver like jimmie johnson rarely do I see him search the track. sure there are many other things to change the way the car drives besides searching which I am sure he is doing, but is nearly impossible to see. personally I love it when the cars can run high on the track. it really provides for good racing. There were times at homestead when a guy got up close to the wall and figured something out and they would be more than a half a second faster than the car in front of them, this was evidenced in the blow by passes at times we saw. but with all that said look at the guys who win the most races, they typically run around the bottom and don't search the track much. the guys running up high usually bang the car up or if they don't end up with a top 5 finish but not the win.
 
BobbyFord said:
I've never seen a youngster search around the track like that for a faster line :idunno:
Click to expand...
part of that is not knowing what he is doing. It was his first time at many of the tracks, and nothing beats experience. Compared to rookie Dillion, who had tons more experience in trucks and Nationwide and even cup cars, Larson had a hell of a disadvantage coming from sprint cars. On the Tony front, he still was limping last time I saw him walking any distance. That leg was pretty much shattered and might not ever be 100%. Tony has so much more to deal with than driving just his race car, 3 other drivers to keep happy and a partner who has a mind of his own.
 
As a Stewart fan, I can say his best years are behind him. Even before he broke his leg, he was not having that great of a year last year. Crew chief changes haven't helped. He should have stayed with Grubb.
 
Maybe a nice break during the off season will help Stewart?
 
I am so stoked for next yr. hopes are high. I think these changes play into Patricks hands. She is familiar with momentum racing, and we may see more of that. I am also interested how she will do sorting out a car on a level playing field. All these are guys are gonna be figuring out the new car too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom