Tony Stewart’s NASCAR Exit Fueled by Michael Jordan’s Legal Feud Amid a ‘Bittersweet’ Feeling

NASCAR isn’t the same as it used to be in the good old days. This is how traditional fans feel about the sport that has gone into a transition phase, looking to reclaim its lost glory. However, when an insider like Tony Stewart, who’s seen both sides of the NASCAR world, feels the same, it makes you wonder if the sport is heading in the right direction.

We all know Stewart Haas Racing is shutting down at the end of 2024. There were multiple theories on why the co-owners Gene Haas and Tony Stewart agreed on this decision. Lack of funds and mediocre performance on the racetrack certainly weighed in. But for Stewart, the legal tussle between NASCAR and 23XI Racing, backed by other factors, influenced his decision to call it quits from the sport.

Tony Stewart feels it was the right time to cut ties with NASCAR

SHR has been one of the powerhouse racing teams in the sport. With two championships and the dominance of the #4 team, they even went toe-to-toe against the likes of Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and JGR. Essentially, they were part of the Big 4, who regularly competed for wins and championships. But ever since the turn of the new decade, the team just wasn’t able to replicate their past glory. Moreover, they started to feel cornered with the growing demands in terms of finance to run the race team.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Smoke to part ways with his team, but it was necessary owing to changes in dynamics in NASCAR. “Your priorities change, and variables outside of your control change as well. NASCAR, you and I’ve been around for a long time; it is not what it used to be; it’s drastically different. That’s okay for some people; for some people it’s not. I guess I’m one of those people.”

Stewart said this on episode 68 of the Happy Hour podcast. He even shared his take on the current charter dispute and stated he didn’t want to be a part of such an issue as a team owner. “Look what’s going on with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports right now with their battle with NASCAR and the direction the things are going; it’s not a direction that I wanted to be a part of. This is the right time; this was never part of a master plan. As this year has gone on, it has become very clear that this is the right time for me to get out of the sport.”

Unlike the HMS and Penske, Stewart didn’t have massive business operations outside of the sport that could help him run his NASCAR team. So, the decision to cash in on his racing legacy made sense to him and his partner, Gene Haas. Although he might have pulled the plug on his involvement with NASCAR, Stewart is still part of the ongoing controversy that revolves around the sale of SHR charters.

SHR charter sale to 23XI and FRM is in the air

23XI Racing and FRM have been the two teams who have purchased the charters from Stewart Haas Racing. Gene Haas kept a charter for himself to start his team, the Haas Factory team, whereas Justin Marks from Trackhouse Racing also expanded to a three-car team. The remaining two of the four charters are reported to be acquired by 23XI and FRM, but NASCAR hasn’t given the green light to this transfer of charters. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports reported this

The two teams have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR and CEO Jim France. Moreover, they are looking to get a preliminary injunction to secure their charters for next year and compete as chartered organizations. This hasn’t gone down well with NASCAR, as they argue that teams have stated that they can run as open teams in 2025. They even stated that they are planning to schedule next year’s race with only 32 charters, which excludes the current two charters, both 23XI Racing and FRM currently own.

Both parties are scheduled to appear in the federal court in Charlotte for the hearing on injunction on November 4, 2024. A verdict by the court could decide the fate of the two SHR charters.