NASCAR’s got all types of drivers. Take someone like Martin Truex Jr, who races clean no matter the stakes; he’s all about fair play. Then you’ve got Denny Hamlin, who pulls out all the stops to win, messing with competitors’ heads and cars alike. And then there’s Tony Stewart, who races clean but never misses a chance to keep his rivals on their toes. Maybe that knack for keeping things interesting is why he’s driven just about every kind of motorsport vehicle there is, including the NHRA dragsters.

Tony Stewart recently opened up in an interview about his experiences with four-wide racing events, which not everyone is fond of, and shared what drives him to compete in these challenging races.

Is Tony Stewart making the most of others’ slip-ups on the track?

Tony “Smoke” Stewart is currently tearing it up in an 11,000-horsepower NHRA Top Fuel dragster, pushing the limits in a way that only racing legends like A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti have before. However, unlike those icons who rarely ventured into drag racing beyond a one-time gig, Stewart is fully immersing himself in a world where races blitz by in four seconds, and taking a left turn is definitely not part of the plan.

In fact, it seems he is one step ahead. Beyond the sheer adrenaline of it all, after Gainesville, Stewart had previously hinted that he was particularly looking forward to the NHRA’s fourth and fifth races, the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals and the 4-Wide Nationals. These events, not usually fan favorites due to their intense and complex endgames, pose unique challenges. The four-wide setup especially complicates things for the drivers and pit crews. In classes like nitro, syncing up four cars for starts and burnouts is crucial; any delay can burn off extra fuel, throwing off a car’s delicate balance.

However, on the contrary, Tony Stewart really has a thing for such unpredictable races. But why is that? He explained, “There’s some drivers that don’t they just like what they’re used to. And you know all of this is new and unfamiliar to me. So, if you get your competitors to be uncomfortable with the situation then and that evens and shortens that gap between you.”

Stewart further added, “So, I enjoyed it. It was you know somebody goes you know hey it’s different. I’m like you guys forget I did this in the alcohol car last year. So, to me every time we got up there, especially in eliminations I was excited and revved up about it cuz I’m like this is where this is where people can trip up and make mistakes and I feel very confident at the four wide.”

This mindset has benefited many drivers. Although Tony Stewart has hung up his racing gloves, his legacy of versatility continues, a torch now carried by drivers like Kyle Larson. Racers like Martin Truex Jr and Larson, who’ve also dipped their toes in various racing disciplines, often find an edge in unusual NASCAR race conditions, similar to other motorsports series—like Truex’s standout performance at Bristol.

Well, for now, Tony Stewart is gearing up to compete at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, ready to tackle yet another challenge on the track.

The SHR owner is gearing up for a historic run at the Chicago Trifecta

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Currently sitting seventh in the Top Fuel standings, just 212 points behind the leader, Justin Ashley, Stewart is set to make his first appearance on the Route 66 Raceway dragstrip. He’s no stranger to winning in Chicago, with three career victories at the Chicagoland Speedway, but this time it’s a whole different ball game as he’s there to race on behalf of his wife, Leah Pruett.

The couple recently lit up a media day in Chicago to launch the NHRA Route 66 Nationals. Stewart was quick to highlight the unique thrill of NHRA racing, saying, “I really believe no matter what form of sports they follow there’s just not an experience like what you get at a NHRA race to see cars with over 11,000 horsepower that run 300 miles per hour.”

“It’s not something you’re going to see in downtown Chicago whether you’re at the NASCAR race or you go to a baseball game, hockey game, or football game. It’s just not the same experience. Having the opportunity once a year to go to Joliet and for people to sneak out to the edge of town and see something that they’ve never seen before is a great opportunity.”

It’ll definitely be interesting to see how Tony Stewart handles the dragstrip in Chicago for the first time.