Tony Stewart’s experiences and emotions in his first weekend as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner ran the gamut.
Stewart battled his way from the back of the field to lead 15 laps and finish eighth in his first Daytona 500 as co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. His teammate, defending race champ Ryan Newman, settled for 36th after being forced to a backup car.
“Considering we lost three cars, to still have a car finish in the top 10, you can’t be that disappointed,” Stewart said.
“I think the thing I’m most proud of is not the third-place run (Bud Shootout) or the second-place run (Gatorade Duel) or the Nationwide win,” Stewart said. “It is coming back from the infield care (center) and seeing all the guys and their attitude and how hard they worked to get us out again before the end of Happy Hour.”
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