Former Stewart Haas Racing team owner Tony Stewart is arguably one of NASCAR’s most polarizing figures. While there are tons of accolades and multiple championship wins to his name, he was one of the drivers who also did his talking off the racetrack. Well, he did have run-ins with his rivals on the track, but he also had a tough time getting along with media members during the race weekends.
One of the incidents that often pops up when speaking about Stewart’s misconduct with the media is the 2022 Brickyard 400 race. The Indiana native was accused of hitting a photographer after a disappointing 12th-place finish in his home race. Moreover, he also had some savage moments while attending the pre-race press meetings. “Do we really have to go to Jenna again?” This was Stewart’s reaction ahead of a Daytona 500 race.
Over the years he built a reputation for being tough on the media personnel. But, despite the bittersweet moments, Tony Stewart thinks he’s good with the media and has managed to repair the bonds that soured during his stint as a race car driver.
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There’s more to Tony Stewart than meets the eye
NASCAR is known to house and further different characters and personalities and Smoke certainly was among the standout figures. Unlike most of the drivers in the garage, he didn’t really have a filter and often spoke from his heart. He also landed himself in trouble with his unapologetic takes and reaction.
After winning the 2007 Brickyard 400 race at his home track, Stewart was over the moon and couldn’t control his emotions. “This one’s for every one of those fans in the stands who pull for me every week and take all the (expletive) from everybody else.” While this wasn’t a direct jab or insult to the media, NASCAR had firm guidelines on censoring the cursing on live TV. This resulted in a fine of $25,000 along with 25 docked points for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
It’s not that Stewart despises media and interacting with them. It was just that he was caught off-guard at times and didn’t see eye-to-eye on different topics regarding the sport. Opening up about his current relationship with the media while speaking to Sullivan Town BBQ, Smoke said, “Actually much more fond than people think. Even the NASCAR media back in the day and there’s some of them that I didn’t like back in the day that I’m good friends with now and the ones that I was okay with and friends back then we’re still friends. Have a lot of friends in media contrary to popular belief. “
Well, NASCAR drivers are indeed more easy to reach out to when compared to other major sports. It was just the environment of being crammed up by multiple mics and cameras got to Stewart’s nerve. “It was that way with the media though, you get out of the car they’d stick a microphone in your face and you hadn’t even had time to get over being mad or at least even talk to the person that you’re mad at and get their side of it… I mean I became a media guy I started doing commentary for FOX,” he added. Stewart emphasized that other sports such as basketball, baseball, and football had a cool-off period before the media could ask them any questions. However, in NASCAR it was almost instantaneous. With the adrenaline pumping for 3 hours and fighting off 39 other drivers, things are bound to get heated in an on-tack interview.
via Getty SOUTH BOSTON, VIRGINIA – JUNE 25: Tony Stewart #14 climbs into his car prior to the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience event at South Boston Speedway on June 25, 2022 in South Boston, Virginia. (Photo by Jared Tilton/SRX/Getty Images)
Speaking of NASCAR, Stewart was also asked if he missed anything about his time racing and being involved with NASCAR. Well, his response was a subtle jab to the sanctioning body, but he revealed his true feelings about his fans and supporters.
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Has NASCAR lost its prestige?
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There was a time when Tony Stewart traded blows with some of the greatest drivers and teams in NASCAR racing. After two championships with JGR, he went on to break Jimmie Johnson’s 5-year title streak and clinch one more title with his own team in 2011. Stewart Haas Racing is a team that would go on to become part of the Big 4. The success of the #4 team with Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers in 2014 added more feathers to Stewart’s hat.
But with the changing landscape of stock car racing and unsustainable business, Smoke decided to pull the plug on his involvement with NASCAR. One of the most decorated personalities in the recent history of the sport called it quits. We all know that Stewart didn’t like how sketchy things had started to become with the charter deal. He did openly call out NASCAR on that, but as far as his connection with fans and the racing community is concerned, that bond remains strong within his heart.
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“The biggest part is I miss the people. It’s like anything else. Technology comes in, it evolves and changes, and it’s just not what it used to be when I ran it. When I ran it, I feel like I got it on the tail end of when it was the best. I mean, it’s a sport that’s going to make it a long time.” The former SHR owner explained. Life is certainly good for Stewart as he welcomed his baby boy, Dominic James Stewart, this year with his wife Leah Pruett, and is now focused on his racing at NHRA. Do you think Stewart will make a return to NASCAR in the future?