In racing, Tony Stewart has one of the most impressive winning résumé of this generation.
He pulled off another racing triumph this past weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s The Strip, where he won the 4-Wide Nationals in Top Fuel. For his first career NHRA victory, he defeated Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, and Jasmine Salinas in the final elimination round with an ET of 3.870 seconds. He was able to add “champion” between NHRA and his own name after winning the Top Alcohol regional championship the previous year.
Along with ARCA, IndyCar, and World of Outlaws, the list is lengthy and adorned, starting with the obvious ones, which include all three national NASCAR series: Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks. Next are Silver Crown, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. He was also the co-owner of the series with SRX and won the IROC early in his career.
Indeed, Racer’s Kelly Crandall noted that Stewart himself will be making a detailed record of all the races he has won because he “believes there are things that have been missed.”
Stewart reflects on one of his firsts to compare it to all of his others. With a nod to IROC, he described the differences in the skill set.
This week, Tony Stewart intends to sit down and compile a comprehensive report of all the races he has won and lost. Stewart is aware that making a list will take time because he has seen the lists on social media but feels that some topics have been overlooked.
Stewart said during a virtual news conference with Athlon Sports, “I think you bring up a great point and you brought up the perfect series to compare it to: IROC, for example.” Since everyone owns the identical automobile, the only thing a driver can do is take what they have and figure out how to use it to win the race. Drag racing is somewhat on the other end of that spectrum. I can’t do that here, as much as I would like to be the driving force behind the race, controlling the car and doing this and that.”
Fans are fully aware of how drivers use their driving style to get into Victory Lane when they look at the vast majority of those drivers’ prior victories in other series. There is undoubtedly a team component to that as well, particularly when it comes to getting ready for the weekend—some teams even spend months getting ready for some of the world’s most important events.Among the most coveted competitions to win are the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the Chili Bowl, and the Snowball Derby. In almost all situations, drivers freely acknowledge that they would prefer to win these races over a championship. Thus, in the actual race, the driver uses the preparations made by their team to the fullest on the track.
Now 53, married, and a father to his first kid, Stewart views his NHRA victory in a very different way.
As a driver, it’s significant to me to achieve another form and win in a different motorsport. Throughout much of my career, when I tried something new, there were always people who said, “He’ll fail at this, he can’t, he won’t figure this out.” He won’t be able to do this.” Stewart proceeded. Thus, I adore the pessimists. They stoke my desire to succeed and accomplish things that others believe are beyond my capabilities. I hope they remain. My inspiration comes from being told I can’t do something, so I hope they continue to do so.
“Unlike my wife, Leah Pruett, I don’t have a long history in drag racing, but thanks to Leah, our teammate Matt Hagan, and a lot of people I’ve met, it doesn’t take long to understand the sport’s history and how difficult it is to succeed at this level. Therefore, it means a lot to me to accomplish this and cross it off the list.
He pinned a commonality that reminded him of all his past accomplishments in the motorsports industry, despite all the changes in his family life, the discipline of drag racing, and the people around him.
“I feel like with any other form of motorsports that the first one is always the hardest one to win,” he said. “It seems to me that nerves and emotion often get involved when you’re attempting to win that first one. Everyone calms down once you win the first one because they behave differently. They are aware that “we can do this.” Therefore, you are no longer required to strive to convince everyone of anything. I’m looking forward to our trip to Charlotte since you get to go do it now.”
He is known as Smoke for a reason, but beyond the tough exterior lies a heart that everyone finds admirable.
Smoke remarked, “I nearly lost it,” after thinking back on his festivities with his family and squad.
Refer to it as another victory or milestone. For Smoke, however, it is just further evidence that resolve is stronger than uncertainty.
