Stewart will run a different kind of race

Tony Stewart can race a car. Any car. And we know he can climb fences. But can he be a successful team owner and partner?

Stewart will own 50 percent of the new Stewart-Haas Racing team next year, and he hopes to improve the current mid-30s points standing of Haas CNC Racing. But to expect him, in one year, to turn this into an organization that can contend for the Chase is borderline ridiculous.


No matter how many -- or what caliber of -- people a team adds, moving up the racing ladder is difficult. Equipment is a major issue; to expect a team with new drivers (even if they're Stewart and maybe Ryan Newman) to make a jump of 20 spots in points is unfair.

This isn't like Stewart owning half of Roush Fenway Racing or even half of Chip Ganassi Racing. Haas CNC Racing is a team that started from scratch in 2002 with no Cup ties. Its ability to last in the Cup Series is an accomplishment in itself, but its drivers have only occasionally competed for top five finishes.

The most mind-boggling part of this whole arrangement is Stewart doing anything at 50 percent. He is someone who will hire people and let them do their jobs -- as long as he is kept in the loop on all major decisions. But one thing Stewart is not is Mr. Consensus, and it's hard to see him as anything other than a my-way-or-highway kind of guy.

Joe Custer, the current general manager of Haas CNC Racing, will work with Stewart (or Stewart's appointee) to manage the new Stewart-Haas team. The owner of Haas Automation, Gene Haas, is serving a two-year federal prison sentence until next May for tax evasion.

In seven years with Haas CNC, Custer has had some highs. The team has won in the Nationwide Series, and Johnny Sauter ran second in the all-star qualifying event last year. Haas CNC has been reasonably competitive, but it has never broken into the top 20 in points and both of its teams are currently outside the top 35.

Three former drivers have sued the team after being released early. That is either a sign that this is a company willing to make changes and risk litigation in order to enhance performance -- or a sign that it doesn't play fair.

The team also has made several strange decisions. One of the drivers who sued, Jason Leffler, has driven for the team in Cup races this year. Leffler was angry in 2004 when Haas CNC cut him after he announced he was switching to Joe Gibbs Racing for the next season. Leffler was taken out of the car despite being third in points with seven races remaining. Sauter was released last year to make room on the team for Jeremy Mayfield and then rehired after Mayfield moved on.

Custer says he's going to give Stewart the ability to make personnel decisions. The thinking is that people consider Stewart a winner and therefore will want to work for him.

It sounds good on paper. But so did the Wood Brothers-ST Motorsports merger that failed to improve results and the Robby Gordon-Gillett Evernham partnership that looked great in print but so far has failed to do anything for either team.

We already know Stewart is a great racing talent, but this new partnership will test his patience and administrative skills. If he turns Stewart-Haas Racing into a championship contender, it could be considered the biggest accomplishment of his career.