NASCAR: Tony Stewart reveals one of his biggest regrets
By Asher Fair
Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart admitted that one of the biggest regrets in his professional career came late last NASCAR season.
When it started to become clear that Kyle Larson would indeed return to the NASCAR Cup Series following what was an indefinite suspension handed down to him for using the N-word during a livestreamed iRacing event, one potential landing spot stood out above all the rest.
That potential landing spot was Stewart-Haas Racing, a team to which Larson had been linked for the 2021 season even before he was suspended.
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Larson entered the 2020 season with Chip Ganassi Racing without a contract to compete in 2021, and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart had previously made very clear that he would love to sign the Elk Grove, California native.
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In fact, when Stewart announced in 2015 that the 2016 season would be his last season behind the wheel, he tried to sign Larson for 2017. Due to Larson’s contract at the time, however, a deal could not be completed, and Clint Bowyer was named Stewart’s replacement.
But after the 2020 season, Bowyer retired from driving and moved to the Fox broadcast booth, leaving the #14 Ford in need of a driver. Naturally, Larson’s name emerged as a potential candidate.
However, it was Hendrick Motorsports which ended up signing him to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson. Alex Bowman was moved from the #88 Chevrolet to Johnson’s #48 Chevrolet while Larson was signed to drive a renumbered #5 Chevrolet.
To this day, Stewart regrets the fact that he was unable to sign the young phenom.
Here is what he had to say in a recent interview with CBS Sports.
"“I said [damn it] the day that I found out I couldn’t get him. I said it that day – probably in words that I can’t use right now – But I said that a lot that day, and have said it every day since then. That will be one of the biggest regrets of my professional career is not getting that kid and having an opportunity to race him in our cars.“He’s a once in a lifetime driver. I say he’s a unicorn. He’s just literally one of those guys that – who knows – I’m sure in our lifetime we’re gonna see somebody else come along that’s gonna be like Kyle, but it’s probably gonna be a long time before we see another person step up and another driver step up and do what Kyle has been able to do in the last year and a half.”"
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Not being able to sign Larson is something that Stewart had previously stated was due to Ford’s unwillingness to associate with him after what happened on Easter Sunday 2020. He simply couldn’t get them to approve the signing. So Stewart-Haas Racing went on to promote Chase Briscoe from the Xfinity Series as Bowyer’s replacement.