Tony Stewart’s ferocious on-track performances may be what some fans remember. In addition to winning the 1997 IndyCar Series, Stewart made open-wheel history as a three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner in 2002, 2005, and 2011. Wins, poles, and memorable moments behind the wheel abound in his career. Others may recall him as a co-owner of the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing team, which disrupted NASCAR’s garage politics for more than ten years and brought several Cup Series titles. But more than anything else, Tony Stewart will be remembered for his short fuse.
Smoke’s attitude became as famous as his awards thanks to the helmet tosses, the verbal altercations in media centers, and the pit road clashes. Dale Earnhardt Jr., meanwhile, thinks that most fans are never able to see this aspect of Tony Stewart. Junior eventually revealed the truth on a recent edition of the Dale Jr. Download.
Exposing Tony Stewart: The Individual Responsible for the Media Conflicts
Dale Jr. clarified, “Tony was always picking on someone when you were around him.” He then brought up an instance in which Tony Stewart and an ESPN reporter got into a heated argument. Stewart famously shot out at ESPN’s David Newton during the Richmond race in 2012, saying, “David, only you’d think about stuff like that. I don’t sit there contemplating that petty c— that you think of.” This sharp comment followed a question about consecutive races without wrecks, highlighting Stewart’s disdain for what he perceived as trivial inquiries.
Dale Jr., who was sitting next to him, found it difficult to contain his laughing, highlighting how erratic Stewart’s press appearances can be. But Tony Stewart’s altercations weren’t just with reporters. He threw his helmet at Matt Kenseth’s car at Bristol in 2012, which perfectly captured his fierce on-track demeanor. He became known as one of NASCAR’s most fervent and erratic personalities as a result of these incidents. Dale Jr. summed up by saying, “He was angry at everyone at one point.” But Stewart has a more sensitive side that is frequently overlooked. Dale Jr. disclosed, “A lot of people are unaware that Tony Stewart is actually a teddy bear. He is quite sensitive. He has regrets behind closed doors. This reflective side suggests a depth to Stewart’s character that fans rarely see that is in stark contrast to his public persona.
Dale Jr. disclosed that Tony Stewart would change his mind and issue an apology after his rage subsided. Dale Jr. disclosed that he was the type of man that would visit later and say, “Hey, I, you know, I’m sorry about that, yeah, you know, you’re awesome.” However, Stewart’s kindness goes beyond simply saying sorry. Following Kyle Busch’s severe injuries at Daytona in 2015, Stewart paid him a visit in the hospital and offered words of support. In a similar vein, Stewart offered his private jet to take Justin Wilson’s family to the hospital after his horrific IndyCar accident. These deeds of generosity reveal a softer side of Stewart that stands in stark contrast to his aggressive persona. And that’s what makes Stewart such a multifaceted, peculiarly charming character.
Behind the public tantrums and attention-grabbing tirades lies a man who is more affected than most people understand. Dale Jr. was careful to highlight that, concluding his remarks with the words, “So, he’s a good guy.” A reminder that behind closed doors, even the most ferocious NASCAR fires have a softer glow. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart weren’t always complimenting each other; they were once enemies before becoming an unstoppable team. Indeed, they engaged in fierce on-track combat in the early 2000s. Both had sizable fan bases and were ardent rivals. A dramatic altercation at Pikes Peak in 1998 marked the start of Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s feud. Dale Jr. kept attempting to overtake Stewart as both drivers were dueling fiercely. As the conflict intensified, Stewart “punched” Dale Jr. into Turn 1, leading to both being summoned to the NASCAR hauler for a heated confrontation.
Neither driver harbored resentment for very long after the altercation. Stewart went up to Dale Jr. in the pits the next week at Milwaukee. Given that they would be competing against one another for years to come, he advised them to set aside their grievances. Mutual respect and an enduring friendship were established by this act, and they later developed into an unbreakable alliance. Although they never competed for the same team, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart were among the greatest draft pairings in sports history. The two used to dominate the rest of the field with their skills because they knew how each other wanted to race. Speaking about their drafting success, Tony Stewart said during his appearance on the Dale Jr. Download, “Your idea and my notion were were exactly in line,” said Stewart about Dale Jr.’s approach to restrictor plate racing. They used to stick together throughout the race so much that Stewart jokingly quipped, “It didn’t matter if he went to the damn concessions stand. Whatever he ordered, I was gonna order behind him.”
“They did everything in their power to keep us apart,” Stewart continued. The 2004 Daytona 500 is without a doubt their most famous drafting experience. Jr. led 58 laps and Stewart led 98 laps as the two continued to trade positions during the draft. Jr. went on to win his maiden Daytona 500 with Stewart in second place. Stewart contributed significantly to Dale Jr.’s victory, which defined his career, even though he was never able to win the crown jewel event himself.
