A championship rivalry is an ingredient for a successful NASCAR season. From Richard Petty vs. David Pearson to a battle between legacy and future as Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon collided, NASCAR fans cherish such rivalries now and then. However, one such rivalry that is one for future generations to look back upon is the chase for the Cup Series title in 2011, when two legends of the sport, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards, faced off against each other in a race against time.

Edwards, considered one of the best-ever drivers to have never won a championship, had a chance to beat that tag in 2011, as the title didn’t seem far away from his reach. Later in the season, Edwards faced stiff competition from Tony and eventually fumbled the huge opportunity in his hands. But that is not all there was to the rivalry, as a certain NASCAR insider recalls the mind games and ferocity of competition back in the day.

Tony Stewart went all-out against Carl Edwards in 2011

Tony Stewart is known for his fiery altercations with other drivers. As passionate as he is, the three-time Cup Series winner has given us countless memories owing to his competitiveness. In 2011, when the championship battle was in its prime, Tony and Carl met in a pre-race press conference hours before the championship race. As usual, Tony looked confident about his win, and as the presser moved on, things got a bit spicy between the two.

Revealing that he will leave behind no efforts to take it up to Edwards, Tony claimed, “I’ll wreck my mom to win a championship. I’ll wreck your mom to win a championship.” In reply to this, Edwards had a rather calm question as he asked, “Did you say something?“

Tony didn’t back out of his claim as he reiterated his opinion on how the race was going to end up. Although Edwards looked like he was feeling some of the pressure Tony was trying to put on him, he remained calm throughout the conference. “Yeah, the same thing I told you earlier. You can come visit my trophy in the room at Vegas when you get out there,” added Tony.

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These types of head-to-head battles were a more common occurrence in the golden generation of NASCAR. With time, it seems like the temper and aggression have toned down a bit, and it becomes an easy observation to make when we look at this season’s playoffs. Not many moments of controversy or such developments have happened between drivers that could have possibly shaped a rivalry for the title.

Pete Pistone wants some heated moments in the remaining playoff races this season

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SiriusXM broadcaster Pete Pistone has claimed on Twitter that the recipe for an enjoyable Championship 4 race lies within the tension between drivers. With only Kyle Larson sealing his place in Phoenix, the rest 3 spots are up for grabs. Among the contenders for these spots, the driver with the highest chance of initiating such psychological battles and off-track rivalries would be Denny Hamlin.

Considering his dynamic with Kyle Larson this season, the matchup could be interesting to watch as Denny and Larson have engaged in a war of words following the wreck at Pocono. While Denny needs to break his championship drought, Larson will stand between him and the championship.

Seemingly, Pistone wants that to happen through one or other driver to make the title race more fun to watch and follow. He tweeted, “To our discussion this morning on TMD, great example of the kind of spice and juice needed in sports, especially during Playoff time – so far it’s been flat and something like this would be a welcomed addition over the last three races.”

Pete Pistone’s idea could also convince fans to tune into the race if it goes through. The NASCAR fandom loves a rivalry more than anyone else and will hope its wishes come true in the next three weeks.

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