Driving the No. 14 exceeded expectations of owning it

In some ways, it was a typical Tony Stewart season. Stewart won his share of races and even led the points standings much of the regular season before the Chase for the Sprint Cup commenced. He was sassy and smart.

He was highly entertaining during most sessions with the media — and, never being one to suffer what he considers foolish questions, Stewart was downright rude and a touch ugly in others.

But this wasn’t a typical Tony Stewart season. In fact, it was one like no other before — nor no other that will come in the future. It was Stewart’s first season as an owner — and as the man in charge of the newly-formed Stewart-Haas Racing, there were many firsts.“

There’s only one first and it doesn’t matter how many races you win, there’s only one first time that you go to Victory Lane with a new organization.

Stewart’s first win in the No. 14 Chevrolet came in the All-Star race, when he celebrated in Victory Lane with a number of employees from the former Haas/CNC Racing operation who had never previously been able to experience such a party. It made him grin from ear to ear. Of course, the fact that he won a million dollars in the process didn’t hurt him on the Happy Meter that night, either, but he said it was more than that.

“To see those guys get their first win and be part of it with them was what I was really looking for,” Stewart said. “That means more than a million dollars does to me.”

It turned out to be one of several victories they all were able to celebrate. Stewart went on to win four points races in all, leading in the points standings from the end of May until the Chase began at New Hampshire in September. He was seeded second for the Chase only because Mark Martin had one more victory under his seatbelt heading into the Chase.

All in all, Stewart the driver exceeded the expectations of even Stewart the owner — who reveled in the fact that not only he made the Chase, but so did the other car in the Stewart-Haas stable, the No. 39 Chevy driven by Ryan Newman.

Didn’t get much better than this…

Stewart celebrates at Pocono.The All-Star victory was nice, and profitable, but Stewart’s sweetest victory came in the spring race at Pocono — when he became the first owner-driver to win a Cup race in more than a decade.

“It’s like I told [team co-owner] Gene Haas [after the All-Star win] at Charlotte: ‘There’s only one first and it doesn’t matter how many races you win, there’s only one first time that you go to Victory Lane with a new organization.’ This was our first one with a point win,” Stewart said after the race.

“So this is the only first that we’re going to have in this situation. The rest of them are just going to be a number and stats down the road. So it is special.”

The disappointment still lingers…

Repairing the damage at ‘Dega.Stewart entered the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega on Nov. 1 clinging to fourth in the Chase points standings, still hopeful of perhaps catching Jimmie Johnson for the championship. But when teammate Newman’s car flipped on Lap 183, Stewart also got caught up in the mess and ended up finishing 35th, effectively ending any slim hopes he had left of winning the title with three races still left to run.

source: NASCAR.COM – by Joe Menzer