NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart’s Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) is set to return. Which superstars are among those who could join?
NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart’s stock racing series, Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), came to an end a few weeks ago after another successful six-week summer run.
The 2022 season featured returning names such as IndyCar veterans Helio Castroneves and Paul Tracy, and it also introduced NASCAR veterans such as Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth.
Castroneves won the season opener at Five Flags Speedway, Tracy continued to show his aggressive style of racing, Newman scored his first checkered flag since 2017, and Kenseth scored two podium finishes in three starts.
With a diverse field and different winners, such results highlighted the equalizer that is SRX. Returning driver Marco Andretti was able to win the series championship, beating out Newman in the point standings.
When it came time for the season-ending race, SRX showed shades of last year with a father-son race. Instead of Chase Elliott versus father Bill, it was Dave Blaney and son Ryan who competed on the elder Blaney’s track, Sharon Speedway.
The “Battle of the Blaneys” looked like a possibility when the schedule was announced, but the idea becoming a reality added to the excitement the series has brought in its first two years.
With confirmation that the series will go on through at least next year, here are five drivers who should race in SRX in 2023.
NASCAR drivers who should race in SRX in 2023: No. 1 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition after the 2017 season, but he has continued to run select Xfinity Series races since. When he isn’t piloting the #88 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series, he is busy serving as the owner of his team, JR Motorsports, and calling races as a color commentator for NBC.
Scheduling could be an issue for Earnhardt, as the network switch from FOX to NBC for NASCAR has aligned closely with SRX’s start. Still, if the series was able to grab Blaney, Elliott, and even Joey Logano for color commentary, the flexibility between both SRX and NASCAR is there.
While he may have retired from Cup Series racing, his short-track grassroots racing passion is still prevalent, with the two-time Daytona 500 winner running a late model race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Competing in SRX would give the NASCAR Hall of Famer a chance to continue this, but on a nationally televised series outside of the NASCAR world. If the time allows, a one-off on a short track could be in the cards for SRX and one of the most popular drivers in motorsports history.
NASCAR drivers who should race in SRX in 2023: No. 2 – Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson may have retired from the NASCAR Cup Series after the 2020 season, but his racing days are far from over.
After leaving the Cup Series, Johnson signed with Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the #48 Honda in IndyCar. He originally only competed in road and street course races, but he now competes full-time, with his best finish being a fifth place finish at Iowa Speedway.
Despite being in IndyCar, Johnson hasn’t ruled out a return to NASCAR, with Trackhouse Racing Team serving as a rumored fit if he decides to return.
Additionally, Johnson ran the Race of Champions in Sweden with Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel, and he currently competes part-time in IMSA. With the El Cajon, California native being involved in a diverse field of motorsport series since retiring from full-time stock car competition, SRX could be next on his list.
With IndyCar having a lighter schedule than NASCAR, Johnson and SRX could easily find a date to bring the seven-time Cup Series champion back onto an oval outside IndyCar.
A NASCAR return may be more likely than a one-off in SRX, but the timing and the openings are there if Tony Stewart can convince partners and Johnson himself to head over to the “Saturday Night Lights” racing style that SRX has to offer.
With a return to oval racing this year and a desire to return to where he made his name, SRX shouldn’t be out of the question for Johnson. He won Stewart’s “Prelude to the Dream” event in 2010, so the connections to “Smoke” and dirt racing are there too.
Like it would with the addition of Dale Earnhardt Jr., SRX would greatly benefit from having a name such as Johnson on the roster in 2023, and the 46-year-old could find himself in a position like Ryan Newman and have an opportunity to grab a checkered flag after having been unable to do so for several years.
NASCAR drivers who should race in SRX in 2023: No. 3 – Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch is the first on the list who still competes in NASCAR on a full-time basis, but that shouldn’t prevent the 2004 Cup Series champion from being one to consider for SRX in 2023. Busch has proven himself to be one of the greatest journeymen in NASCAR, and his raw talent as an overall racer has shown in other facets of motorsports.
Busch competed in the 2014 Indy 500, scored a sixth place finish, and was named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year that season. Additionally, he has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona and in NHRA drag racing. He is a wheelman through and through, and SRX would only further add to his list of racing accomplishments.
Busch’s connections to Tony Stewart run deep, having driven for Stewart’s Cup Series team, Stewart-Haas Racing, from 2014 to 2018. His NASCAR future beyond this year is unknown and a shift to a behind-the-scenes role in his current team in 23XI Racing could come sooner rather than later for the Las Vegas, Nevada native, given his recent health concerns.
Whether Busch is on the track or in the office for 23XI Racing, a one-off appearance in SRX would complement his role nicely, giving the 44-year-old a chance at another checkered flag in addition to the dozens he has earned throughout a career that spans more than two decades.
Like many oval drivers, Busch grew up driving on local dirt tracks before making his name known nationally. With his success on NASCAR’s asphalt short tracks, he is an ideal candidate to race in SRX during the 2023 season.
NASCAR drivers who should race in SRX in 2023: No. 4 – Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson’s ability to win in any given car has been well documented. From stock cars to winged sprint cars and everything in between, the 30-year-old has shown the ability to hop in any type of vehicle and serve as a winning threat from the start.
SRX’s schedule of short tracks complements Larson’s success outside of NASCAR, and with the wide array of tracks on which the Elk Grove, California native has competed, chances are that SRX’s schedule for 2023 will feature a track where he has competed and possibly won in the past.
Similar to Kurt Busch, Larson is a full-time Cup Series driver, so scheduling could be a concern. But it’s not uncommon for the reigning Cup Series champion to compete in a NASCAR race, only to find himself in a local race shortly after.
His flexibility and desire to compete could make it easier for him to pull double duty, with SRX on a Saturday night and a Cup Series race on a Sunday afternoon.
Tony Stewart has notably been one of Larson’s idols, and the respect is mutual. Stewart attempted to sign Larson to his Cup Series team for the 2021 season, but he later noted Ford’s denial to bring him on. Larson eventually signed with Hendrick Motorsports.
With a missed opportunity to bring Larson to his Cup Series team, the next best thing Stewart could do is sign him for a race in his own stock car racing series. A field of motorsport veterans with a driver who just had one of the most dominant seasons in NASCAR history would make for a must-see show for SRX in 2023.
NASCAR drivers who should race in SRX in 2023: No. 5 – Chase Elliott
Not every driver during the 2023 SRX season has to be a new face. Bringing Chase Elliott back to SRX would not only add a level of continuity for the series but create a compelling story in the process.
Elliott competed in the last SRX race during both its inaugural season and its second season, and he won both of them. Defending his crown again and attempting to go three of three would present a challenge for the rest of the field in 2023.
Both wins came at completely different styled race tracks, with Elliott’s first win coming at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, an asphalt track, and his second win coming at Sharon Speedway, a dirt track.
He adapted quickly to the 700-horsepower stock cars and has proven he can win on any styled race track when given the opportunity. Following suit next season shouldn’t be out of the picture.
Like Cup Series teammate Kyle Larson, Elliott has also praised the opportunity to race against an idol of his in Tony Stewart, and getting the chance to see Stewart versus Elliott one more time would be a move in the right direction. Additionally, hosting the most popular driver in the Cup Series once again would only help attendance and ratings.
With a 2-0 record, the 26-year-old would make an ideal candidate to run another one-off race and keep his undefeated streak alive next season.
The 2023 SRX roster hasn’t yet been announced and no announcements set to take place for quite some time. Will any of these five drivers compete?