Home/NASCAR

via Imago

via Imago

In the world of sports, fans often have strong opinions about their favorite athletes. Sometimes, those opinions can be divided, as was the case with a recent incident involving Tony Stewart. The 3x Cup Series champion recently expressed his passion for dirt racing and his comment sparked controversy among fans and raised questions about the future of the sport.

As the owner of the Eldora Speedway, Stewart is famous for his love of dirt tracks and was the driving force behind “Prelude to the Dream,” a dirt late-model race hosted at Eldora Speedway between 2005 and 2012. However, he found himself in hot waters recently when his views on dirt racing were outlined in a tweet posted by NASCAR on NBC.

Fans react as Tony Stewart goes overboard while expressing love for dirt racing

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The tweet, which contained a video featuring the race at Bristol Motor Speedway that took place this weekend, was captioned “If you don’t like this type of racing, you don’t like racing.” – @TonyStewart

The Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner’s comments were met with mixed responses from fans. Some applauded his passion and dedication to dirt track racing, while a few did not hesitate to criticize him for being out of touch with the realities of the industry.

WATCH THIS STORY: $105 Million Worth Tony Stewart’s $30 Million Potential Sale Could Help Him Create History in Indiana

A fan wrote, “Sorry Tony I disagree I want the concrete Bristol back.”

Taking a dig at Stewart’s remark, someone commented, ‘Then I guess I don’t like racing anymore. Don’t care for Cup cars on a man-made dirt track. Want Bristol back. Thanks,” and another echoed their sentiment.

Several other fans pointed toward the empty stands and expressed their disagreement. Someone said, “Looking at all the empty seats the fans aren’t into dirt racing, may be fun for the drivers just another boring race for fans but on dirt,” while others had the following to say.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Despite the criticism, it’s hard to fault Stewart for his passion for dirt track racing. A lifelong fan of the sport, Stewart has always been vocal about his love for racing on dirt and has played an instrumental role in bringing the discipline to a wider audience. As the sport continues to evolve, it will be crucial to listen to the opinions and concerns of fans and stakeholders, to ensure that the sport remains relevant for years to come.

READ MORE: “In Other News, the Sky Is Blue” – Tony Stewart Gets the Ultimate Honor but the Fans Are Rather Unimpressed