Tony Stewart gives honest verdict on FOX buying "groundbreaking" $135M stake in IndyCar

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IndyCar has been all over the web following yesterday's major deal with FOX. As per the agreement, FOX Corporation has bought one-third stake in Penske Entertainment and, in turn, has secured one-third control over the sport and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In line with this, the semi-retired NASCAR driver, Tony Stewart, has taken the time to give his take on it.

As per the Wall Street Journal, Roger Penske has sold one-third of Penske Entertainment to FOX Corporation for a reported sum of around $125M - $135M.

A lot has been said about this major deal by the drivers, pundits, motorsport personalities, and the latest to join this list is the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. Via an interaction with WISH-TV, he added:

"I think it's exciting, I don't really haven't had enough time to sit down and really analyse and think about it. I think it's a big move, what that's gonna be at the end of the day, I don't know. But I think it's a great opportunity for IndyCar and the Speedway to have a partner like FOX on board. So, I don't know if it's ever been done, I think this is ground-breaking, and could be something that, if this works, you'll see more opportunities like this come down the road." (1:45 onwards)

Roger Penske has been at the helm of America's highest class of open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2019. He has brought the sport forward by leaps and bounds, and the new agreement with FOX Corporation could further add stars to the sport in the near future.

"FOX sees the incredible potential across our sport": Roger Penske on IndyCar deal

While Tony Stewart has an optimistic outlook for IndyCar following the deal with FOX Corporation, the same kind of stance is also shared by the 88-year-old Roger Penske. He has been around the sport for a long time and has seen how it has developed over the years.

Moreover, Team Penske competes regularly in IndyCar, and it currently has Scott McLaughlin, Will Power, and Josef Newgarden as its drivers.

In line with the deal with FOX Corporation, Penske has said the following in a press release:

"This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future. FOX sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory. Lachlan Murdoch and his team, starting with Eric Shanks, are committed to our success and will bring incredible energy and innovation to INDYCAR."

America's highest class of open-wheel racing has gone through quite a few major changes since its inception back in the 1920s. Keeping this in view, it will be fascinating to see what the future holds for the sport under the partnership of Penske Entertainment and FOX.