“I’ll do anything for the SRX championship”: Tony Stewart answers if he’ll wreck Ryan Newman to win the title

In a thrilling climax to the 2023 SRX Racing season on ESPN, Tony Stewart finds himself facing a tough dilemma: Should he do whatever it takes to clinch the Camping World SRX championship, even if it means tangling with his longtime friend and competitor, Ryan Newman?

Trailing Newman by 39 points heading into the Thursday Night Thunder finale, Stewart's resolve is clear: he'll do anything for the championship, but there's one thing he won't do.

"I’ll do anything for the Camping World SRX championship, but I won’t do that," Stewart said [on whether he'll wreck Newman] (via Sportsnaut).

During a candid Wednesday afternoon teleconference (via Sportsnaut), Tony Stewart opened up about the unique situation he and Newman find themselves in.

"We've been teammates for a long time, and we've been friends for years," Stewart reflected. "This is what you would consider an ideal situation, I think for both of us, to be racing each other for a championship."

"He's got a pretty good point lead, but anything can happen. If all of a sudden he gets spun around on the pace lap, you'll probably know it was me because that may be the best shot I've got at catching him before they drop the green," Tony Stewart added.

The statement, delivered with a mix of humor and seriousness, underlines the intensity of the competition between the two friends. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer, acknowledged the excitement of the situation.

"I think it's fun for us to have this opportunity, and you want it to be about who does the best job over six weeks," Stewart remarked.

The journey of Stewart and Newman from their early days in the USAC ranks to their rise in the NASCAR Cup Series has been intertwined, and now they find themselves vying for the SRX championship. Stewart-Haas Racing's earliest days saw the two as Cup Series teammates, further solidifying their bond on and off the track.

"It's really cool for us to be in this situation, racing for a championship and knowing one of the two of us is going to bring this home," Stewart said.

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SRX Racing standings heading into the finale as Tony Stewart trails Ryan Newman by 39 points

Heading into the conclusion of the 2023 Camping World SRX Racing Series, the battle for supremacy is at its zenith as Tony Stewart chases the championship crown with fervor.

After five intense races, the updated point standings paint a clear picture of the intense rivalry that has developed between Stewart and his close friend Ryan Newman.

Currently, Ryan Newman leads the standings with a formidable 183 points, buoyed by a remarkable victory and two heat wins. However, lurking just behind him is the indomitable Tony Stewart, determined to make up a 39-point deficit to claim the title.

Marco Andretti, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Hailie Deegan, and Ken Schrader round out the remaining ranks, each contributing to the electrifying racing season.

Here's the points table summarising the 2023 Camping World SRX Racing Series after the last race at Eldora Speedway (points in parentheses):

#1 Ryan Newman - (183)

#2 Tony Stewart - (144)

#3 Marco Andretti - (136)

#4 Brad Keselowski - (133)

#5 Bobby Labonte - (129)

#6 Hailie Deegan - (124)

#7 Ken Schrader - (117)

The SRX Racing Series has enthralled fans with its high-octane action so far. The final race promises to be a nail-biting spectacle as Tony Stewart sets his sights on closing the points gap and securing his place in SRX history.