Tony Stewart/Ray Evernham SRX Series reveals 2021 body three months before debut

By Mar 10, 2021, 6:00 PM EST
Superstar Racing Experience body
SRXracing Twitter
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The Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), the short-track series started by Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham, revealed its 2021 body style in a sequence of tweets and Instagram posts.

Patterned on the defunct IROC series that raced identically prepared cars on a variety of ovals and road courses from 1974 through 2006, SRX is scheduled to run six races this summer on short and dirt tracks. IROC featured up to 12 drivers from a several disciplines of racing including IndyCar, NASCAR, sports cars and occasionally dirt track drivers. Tony Stewart won the final championship.

The SRX series debuts June 12 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.

Without an overdependence on aerodynamics needed for speedways, owners Stewart and Ray Evernham could get a little creative with the SRX body design.

In February, their official Instagram profile teased fans with a peek at the skinless frame on its way to have sheet metal hung.

“Almost exactly 37 years ago I did the same thing with IROC,” Evernham commented on the post. ” Working on the prototype in a bunch of snow freezing my butt off LOL. I can’t wait for y’all to see this thing with the skin on it.”

After rolling the frame off the trailer and working diligently on it, the SRX series was ready to show the new body to the fans.

On Monday, SRX showed a tight closeup of the car with a flat side and an hourglass nose accompanied by the engine’s throaty growl.

Evernham along with former NASCAR and dirt track driver Ken Schrader took the car to the track to shake it down.

And finally, the full reveal was ready.

Ten drivers have been named as competitors in the SRX Series.

As with the IROC Series before it, SRX will showcase drivers from several disciplines including Bill Elliott, Bobby Labone and Michael Waltrip from NASCAR’s ranks, Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves and Paul Tracy from IndyCar, plus Willy T Ribbs and Ernie Francis Jr. from sports cars. Stewart will also race after concluding a successful career in both NASCAR and Indy type cars.

For the complete schedule of races, click here.

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By Jun 8, 2023, 9:05 AM EDT
Ryan Hunter-Reay Carpenter
Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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Ryan Hunter-Reay was named to replace Conor Daly in Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 20 Dallara-Chevrolet, starting in the NTT IndyCar Series event next week at Road America.

Hunter-Reay is the 2012 series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner. He finished 11th for Dreyer & Reinbold last month in the 107th Indy 500, his first start since the 2021 season finale. He drove full time for Andretti Autosport from 2010-21.

“We need to improve our competitiveness and I wanted to add a fresh perspective from a driver like Ryan who has a massive amount of experience and success as well as a reputation as a team leader. I am excited to welcome Ryan to the team,” team owner Ed Carpenter said in a team release. “We have worked together in the past as teammates and he tested for ECR at Barber Motorsports Park in October 2021, where he made an immediate impact as we were able to qualify one of our cars on the pole following that test. I am confident that his experience and technical abilities will be an asset to ECR as we move forward toward our goals as a team.”

Hunter-Reay has 18 IndyCar victories, most recently in 2018. He also is a winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, having been a part of winning entries in the 2020 Twelve Hours of Sebring and 2018 Petit Le Mans. Last year, he was an endurance driver for Cadillac Racing while being on standby for Chip Ganassi Racing.

He replaces Daly, whose departure was announced a day earlier in what the driver and team said was a mutual decision.

“I was surprised when I got the call from Ed,” Hunter-Reay said in a team release. “He described how frustrated he was that his team has not been able to realize its potential despite their efforts, investments, as well as technical and personnel changes over the past few years and asked for my help. Ed and I are very close friends and have been for a long time. I’ve worked with the team in the past and they are a very talented group with high expectations and a committed partner in BITNILE.COM.

“This will certainly be a challenge for me as well. It’s a tough situation jumping in a car in the middle of the season without any testing in what I believe to be the most competitive series in the world. Certainly, part of my motivation in saying ‘yes’ to Ed is the great challenge ahead. The last time I turned right driving an NTT IndyCar Series car was in October of 2021 with this team at Barber. However, I remain very confident in both my driving and technical abilities and believe by working with the talented people at ECR and Team Chevy, while representing BITNILE.COM, we will make progress. I am going to do everything I can do to help the team achieve its long-term objectives.”

Said Milton “Todd” Ault, the chairman of sponsor BitNile.com: “It is great for BitNile.com to be aligned with an Indy 500 Winner and an NTT IndyCar Series champion. I have followed Ryan’s career for years and I am confident he will challenge the entire ECR team to perform at higher levels. I wish everyone luck at Road America.”