“I Think I Learnt a Lot From Him”: Tony Stewart Credits Hall of Famer as He Dips His Feet Into New Racing Venture Outside NASCAR

There are not too many who can even think of matching Tony Stewart and the kind of work he has done, let alone do it. He has been extraordinary in terms of his versatility and influence in the racing industry since he came on to the fore close to 30 years back.

Drawing parallels with anyone else would be difficult. Anyone else but one man, Joe Gibbs. The NASCAR legend and veteran had a great influence on Stewart during his time with Joe Gibbs Racing. Smoke was asked on The Skinny Racing Podcast, “Speaking of Coach Gibbs, did you speak with him at all? He’s one of the guys who owned a Cup team and an NHRA team. Is there any advice you’d lean on him for?”

“Well I think I learned a lot from him when I drove for him, but he just laughed when I told him I getting into NHRA,” he revealed. “I said I trying to be just like you, I want to have all the stuff. But he enjoyed his time in NHRA. And he loves, obviously, what he does in the NASCAR side.” 

“I love what we do in the NASCAR side as well. So it’s neat to be able to, business-wise, do some things that are parallel to what Coach did.”

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Any comparison with Coach Gibbs is a feat. But to successfully emulate some of the stuff he has done is just brilliant.

Tony Stewart and the thrill of new challenges

From a NASCAR team to owning a track and a series – Stewart has done it all. Much like Joe Gibbs. That’s what he was asked on the podcast too.

They commented in agreement with Smoke, “Special individual. Another, much like yourself, to be supremely successful at everything he touched.”

Again, Stewart was quick to thank Gibbs for all his achievements. “Yeah, and that’s where I feel like I’ve learned so much from him is how to manage people. You know you can sit there, and Joe had this unique ability and I feel like we were catching on to that too.” 

“But being able to sit there with 5 potential employees that are going for the same position and they all have the same resume, but knowing which one of them is going to be the right fit with the group. To make sure that we’re putting the right group together and not just key individuals,” he said.

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History tells us Stewart is successful in everything he tries. Hopefully, the NHRA will continue that trend.