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Tony Stewart announced he will drive the No. 14 car next year for Stewart Haas Racing, in honor of A.J. Foyt.
The Sprint Cup car will be painted red and white.
Stewart was forced to choose between 4 and 14, which presented him with a conundrum. The former was his first go-kart number. The latter once belonged to the legendary A.J. Foyt.
“It was about a five minute tug-of-war,” Stewart said, explaining his choice.
So when given a chance to pay Foyt the ultimate compliment, Stewart didn’t hesitate: He’ll use the No. 14 next season in honor of the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
“It was pretty easy to decide on the number that my all-time hero had,” Stewart said before revealing the two Chevrolets — one sponsored by Office Depot, the other by Old Spice — that he’ll drive next season when he leaves Joe Gibbs Racing to move into an ownership role at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Foyt, who was with the IndyCar Series in Edmonton, couldn’t be on hand to see Stewart reveal the honor at his beloved homestate track.
Foyt said it’s their similarities that have enabled the duo to forge such a strong friendship over the years.
“We call a spade a spade. If you like it, fine. If you don’t, we don’t care. But we’re going to tell the way it is,” Foyt said. “Tony shoots from his hip like I do. You never know what he’s going to do tomorrow, you never know what I’m going to do.
“To have Office Depot and Old Spice throw their support behind me and this race team makes me extremely proud,” said Stewart, who announced that he had acquired a 50 percent stake in what is now known as Stewart-Haas Racing. “These are two partnerships that make a lot of sense.
“Office Depot focuses on small business owners, and with my role as a driver and owner next year, I’m both their spokesman and their customer—and I have been for years, because with two USAC teams, two World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series teams and three racetracks, you need a smooth-running office if you expect your business to run right.
“Old Spice has been with me for nine years, but our 10th year together is obviously going to be pretty big. This is a major commitment for the Old Spice brand, and we’re going to make sure the success we’ve enjoyed over the years continues.”
