Hot 20 over the past 10 – It is all business at Stewart-Haas, Godfather style

Some watch soap operas, but I once watched wrestling. I understood a rewritten biblical verse because Stone Cold said so, I smelled what the Rock was cooking, and Mick Foley had multiple personalities while making a star out of a sock puppet. While I loved the comedy of their sports entertainment, I loved the behind the scenes stories even more. Who got pushed to be a star, who got screwed, who was doing what to whom? I gave it all up for NASCAR and now I have come full circle.

Instead of talking about Junior’s great run that went for not, or Jimmie’s car that would not go, or Joey’s big win, we got ourselves a full blown soap opera brewing. Coming out of the 2008 season, Tony Stewart got part-ownership of Gene Haas’ race team. He hired his buddy Ryan Newman to join him, and placed Darian Grubb on top of his pit box and a front line operation was born. Both teams made the Chase in 2009, with Stewart picking up four wins that season. In 2010, Newman won once but missed the post-season, while Stewart won two and made the Chase again. Both were in the hunt in 2011, with Newman adding yet another win before Tony claimed a pair to begin the Chase. Then, with six races to go, the soap opera began.

Stewart likes his buddies, but only those buddies know how much they like Smoke in return. Grubb had guided his boss to three Chase appearances and eight wins in 102 starts. Yet, sitting seventh in the Chase, 19 points out, Grubb got notice that he would be gone at the end of the season, to be replaced by Steve Addington. Grubb responded by aiding his soon to be former boss to six straight Top Tens, including three victories in the final four contests, and the 2011 Sprint Cup title.

According to Stewart, the decision had actually been made before the Chase had began, when the team limped into the hunt ninth overall. It was decided at that time that “we needed to go in a different direction.” In fact, even with the five Chase wins, the eight Top Tens, and the great calls from the pit box in the season finale were not going to change things.  “When we decided to make the change, we stuck with what our decision was,” said Stewart. In short, thanks for all you have done to make me a champion, now goodbye and good luck.

Move ahead two years. Danica Patrick comes in with her looks, her gender, her single F-1 victory, and her sponsorship. She claims the Daytona 500 pole, she finishes in the top ten that race, and has done precious little since. Kevin Harvick becomes available, he gets the 2014 ride in the car Newman had been driving. Too bad, as even winning the Brickyard 400 the next race after getting his notice, there was no room at the inn. If only there had been available sponsorship for a fourth car, Newman would have been in it, we were told. He was told.

Unless Kurt Busch wants to join, then word is that Stewart’s partner Gene Haas would magically be able to come up with the sponsorship himself. In house sponsorship for Busch, jack squat for Newman. Maybe Tony likes Ryan, but Gene sees Kurt as the guy he would prefer to spend his own money on. Maybe Tony was being honest with Newman, but more room at the inn comes available only if Gene builds a new wing for Busch. Maybe.

Maybe Steve Austin was the original, but maybe it is Tony Stewart who has gone stone cold, if you smell what ole Smoke is cooking. Maybe, to paraphrase a quote from the Godfather, “Tell Darian and Ryan it was only business, I always liked them.”

Ironically, Newman remains among our hottest drivers but so are Logano and Martin Truex Jr as the trio battle for the final wild card Chase berth. Newman is ten behind Logano, with Truex in command by 17.  None have won at Bristol before, but both Kyle and Kurt Busch have won there five times, along with Jeff Gordon. One doesn’t need the win, but one could come in handy for the other two and Gordon needs to turn up the heat.

 

Name Points Pos. LW Rank W T5 T10
  Kevin Harvick  350 1 4 (4) 0 3 7
  Clint Bowyer  349 2 3 (2) 0 4 6
  Jimmie Johnson  340 3 1 (1) 2 3 7
  Kyle Busch  332 4 2 (5) 1 4 7
  Kurt Busch  328 5 5 (9) 0 3 7
  Carl Edwards  319 6 6 (3) 0 2 5
  Ryan Newman  313 7 12 (15) 1 3 4
  Joey Logano  311 8 10 (13) 1 2 7
  Martin Truex, Jr.  310 9 14 (12) 1 3 4
  Greg Biffle  310 10 9 (10) 1 2 5
  Brad Keselowski  298 11 11 (8) 0 2 3
  Jamie McMurray  290 12 15 (16) 0 1 2
  Matt Kenseth  289 13 16 (6) 1 2 4
  Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  281 14 7 (7) 0 2 4
  Jeff Gordon  276 15 13 (14) 0 2 5
  Kasey Kahne  267 16 17 (11) 1 2 4
  Marcos Ambrose  260 17 19 (22) 0 0 2
  Tony Stewart  256 18 8 (18) 0 4 5
  Juan Pablo Montoya  242 19 18 (23) 0 1 2
  Jeff Burton  238 20 21 (20) 0 1 3
  Aric Almirola  233 21 22 (19)_ 0 1 1
  Casey Mears  233 22 20 (24) 0 0 1
  Paul Menard  228 23 24 (17) 0 1 1

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Ron Thornton
Ron Thornton
A former radio and television broadcaster, newspaper columnist, Little League baseball coach, Ron Thornton has been following NASCAR on this site since 2004. While his focus may have changed over recent years, he continues to make periodic appearances only when he has something to say. That makes him a rather unique journalist.

3 COMMENTS

  1. An F1 victory? Danica? Um, when did that happen? Confusing F1 racing and modern-day Indy Car racing is like confusing apples and pineapples.

  2. it’s not rocket science Ron, Busch is by far a better driver than Ryan, and Gene Haas has the right to put his money on whomever he so chooses, it’s his money, his choice, he’s the boss. Newman has won a lot of poles, which add no points, but other than that, he’s been running a #13 to 20th place car. Newman is 38 and has gone as far as he will ever go, while Busch instantly becomes a top 5 to 10 car, with plenty of potential to win almost any race in a Hendrick car. Sponsors will notice and come calling for sure. Why wouldn’t Haas & Stewart want a winner who would instantly make them a team which would have 3 drivers who could win any race. Ryan has had his chances, and will never get better than what he has done in his career, a 15th place car. Haas wants a winner, & gets one with Busch.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Best New Zealand Online Casinos

RacingJunk.com and Leaf Racewear Safety Equipment Giveaway

Rocketplay Casino

10 deposit casinos

Best Betting Sites in Canada

bettingtop10.ca

Latest articles