“NASCAR Is Going Cha-Ching” – Tony Stewart Airs NASCAR’s Dirty Laundry as He Exposes Their Tactics for Clicks

Entertainment is everything. While NASCAR is a motorsports discipline, fans don’t just come to a track to enjoy a race. They also come for a show, and the sanctioning body knows this all too well. A boring win isn’t what dominates the headlines, but a post-race brawl? That’s pure blockbuster! Remember Kyle Busch vs Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the All-Star Race last year? Or Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin’s infamous altercation at Martinsville in 2019? That’s what gets people talking.

While he may not be involved in NASCAR anymore, Tony Stewart is very familiar with NASCAR’s tactics. In a candid interview, ‘Smoke’ made it clear that the sanctioning body and its partners know what kind of headlines sell, and that’s where the ‘real’ money is made.

Tony Stewart wants drivers to handle their conflicts

Tony Stewart always says it like it is. The three-time Cup Series champion knows how the NASCAR world works, both as a driver and co-owner of a now-defunct Cup Series team. Stock car racing has always been a ‘raw’ sport, with the occasional scuffle on the pit road or a casual shove down the front stretch. Things sometimes escalate into a full-blown brawl as well, and while the sanctioning body publicly discourages such instances, ‘Smoke’ believes that behind the scenes, such situations are practically encouraged.

Speaking on the ‘Long Live The Chaz’ podcast, Tony Stewart said, “I can tell you this for a fact. Anytime there’s a fight after a race, NASCAR is going cha-ching. The track, whoever. The track next week is going cha-ching. The network is going cha-ching.” He went on to reveal that it’s a tactic that’s held up in dirt racing as well, as he said, “That’s why we tell all the drivers at Eldora, if you want to fight, you can fight. Fight on the front stretch. There’s no penalty. There’s no penalties, there are no fines. But it’s just the drivers.”

In the digital world, it’s no secret that NASCAR, along with other motorsports disciplines, is content-driven and relies on a click-baity environment. According to Tony Stewart, social media clips, race highlights, and controversies, are where the money lies and the sanctioning body knows all too well what sort of content will help them cash it in. It looks like almost everyone wins if a fight breaks out, right from NASCAR to the track authorities and the broadcasters. Perhaps the only ones who lose out are the drivers, especially those on the receiving end of punches.

Tony Stewart’s comments aren’t necessarily criticism though. As a team owner and race promoter, ‘Smoke’ knows all too well that entertainment is key to grow a sport. “I think a lot of things would get solved if NASCAR would just let the drivers get out and sort it out amongst themselves,” said Stewart, and plenty of drivers in one of NASCAR’s three national series would even agree with him. But will NASCAR remain a ‘sport’ literally and figuratively if drivers are left free to police themselves?

If recent incidents are anything to go by, the sanctioning body has punished racers severely for getting their hands dirty on the track. Last year, they fined Stenhouse Jr. $75,000 for punching Kyle Busch, while Truck Series driver Matt Crafton was forced to pay $25,000 for punching Nick Sanchez.

However, the sanctioning body also offers a certain amount of leeway if things get physical in the heat of the moment. Just like Stewart said, “The two drivers are the only ones who do it at the start-finish line,” NASCAR also discourages crew members and others from getting involved. Publicly, it’s unlikely that the sanctioning body will change its stance, even though the cash registers are full when tempers flare and fists fly.

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Stewart was not afraid of physical altercations

Tony Stewart had quite a fiery personality back in the day. From the mid-2000s to the early 2010s, ‘Smoke’ had built a reputation because of his aggressive driving style, bitter rivalries, and outspoken personality, becoming known as somewhat of a ‘bad boy’ of the sport. His rivalry with Kevin Harvick was the stuff of legends, even though both the racers were also close friends off-the-track.

However, NASCAR is a sport defined by thin margins, and things can escalate quickly, resulting in physical fights. It’s not something Stewart ever shied away from, as he said, “My fights, I didn’t care who was around and I didn’t care if I got knocked down.” The 53-year-old went on to say, “I also sat there and realized, if you’re going to fight, you better fight to win. Better not worry about whose watching. Better pay attention to the guy you’re fighting. It’s not a hobby of mine.”

Tony Stewart has been involved in his fair share of scuffles. Back in 2013, the three-time championship winner threw some punches at Joey Logano at Auto Club Speedway after an on-track incident. He also angrily confronted Martin Truex Jr. after the Fontana race in 2015. He might not have sought it out actively, but ‘Smoke’ in his prime was no pushover, and was willing to settle his score as he saw fit, irrespective of the consequences.

Do you think NASCAR needs more drivers like Tony Stewart, who would settle on-track issues by themselves? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!