Tony Stewart, the man, the myth, and the legend, is one of those rare individuals who raised the bar, setting up a benchmark for drivers. During his glory days, he had this uncanny ability to set dirt tracks on fire one day and return to do the same in NASCAR ovals the very next day with blistering pace and sheer performance. “Smoke,” in fact, is the “jack of all trades,” doing his rounds in open-wheel racing at IndyCar, Midgets, dirt racing on local tracks, and going balls to the walls with Stock Cars, racking up titles across almost all factions he competed in.

While his passion for the sport and his dedication to his craft are phenomenal, what keeps the 3-time Cup Series champion going is his obsession to win and his constant pursuit of perfection. Causing all the smoke in the drag strip, the veteran recently dropped down to the HOT ROD Pod: Where It All Began, where he revealed his psyche, which drives the 52-year-old beyond the perceived notion to transcend into the domain of the G.O.A.T.s.

Tony Stewart and his “Never Say Never” mantra: The force that continues to drive him, even at 52

Stewart’s NASCAR career was a nightmare for his competition. He was gifted, masterful, knew the fundamentals, and was super competitive; what more could you ask for? Adding to his persona and making him a gigantic figure in racing was his brash, never-say-die attitude that he carried along with him throughout his career. He was brash with the media and his competition and, above all, supremely talented.

Though the veteran is now done and dusted with NASCAR after terrorizing the stock car racing scene for 18 years, nowadays he is more into off-the-line in the blink of an eye, fire-breathing dragsters, focusing his time and effort on the drag strips. Tony Stewart still has that fire in his belly, the burning desire to be the best in his field.

During the conversation on the HOT ROD podcast, the veteran revealed what has kept his blood pumping, revealing his biggest learning. He said, “The biggest thing I’ve learned in motorsports in my entire life is never say never. They’re like aww you’re going to end up here, I’m like, no, I’m not. I’ve always enjoyed that, I’ve always been one of those guys, I didn’t thrive on trying to find projects that people said I couldn’t do but every time you went to make a step you always get those people like he’s not going to figure this car out.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Shocking disappointment as Tony Stewart’s SRX Series canceled for 2024 season 

“I figured those out and he’s not going to figure this one out and it’s just a little bit more motivation to figure it out and do a good job,” said the driver, exuding confidence, reminiscent of the young Stewart who won the 2002, 2005, and 2011 championships. 

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While 2024 may have started badly with Stewart’s promotion, SRX, the short-track circus, halting its operations due to “market factors,” for ardent Ford and NASCAR fans, there are other things to be excited about. Stewart-Haas Racing, a team once known for its champions and its capabilities, has now become a mere image of its former self, but Stewart, who is the proud co-owner of the Ford-associated team, is hell-bent on turning things around as the team welcomes the new year with a new look.

Recently, the team unveiled its new look, a cosmetic upgrade, and its new logo. In the post, Stewart shared his thoughts, bashing naysayers and making a statement. He said, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my career, it’s that the doubters are always the loudest from the outside. I heard them when I was racing, and I hear them now with my team.”

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He then added, “But here’s what I can confidently say, anyone who doubts us doesn’t really know us. Because this time was founded by two renegades who do things their way.” With the champion supremely confident, resting his faith in his drivers and equipment, will this be the year of the SHR Fords? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.