On November 18th, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett’s family grew by one as they welcomed their baby boy, Dominic James, into the world. Nearly three years after tying the knot, the distinguished racing couple are now gearing up for their greatest race yet—parenthood. There is bound to be trial and more than a few errors while treading the waters as first-time parents. 

But as ‘Daddy’ Smoke’s longtime buddy, Kevin Harvick, recently reflected on the Happy Hour podcast, “There are no real failures… That’s just part of the process.” However, as a fellow father of two who’s seen it all with a front-seat view, The Closer wouldn’t mind having a few laughs while watching his friend stumble on this new adventure.

Kevin Harvick’s hilarious parenting plans for ‘Daddy Smoke’

Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick’s friendship is hardly a secret to longtime NASCAR fans. In twenty-plus years of on-track camaraderie, the duo has raced alongside each other, competed against each other, and even teamed up as driver and owner to forge a bond that has stood the test of time. For Harvick’s kids, Keelan and Piper, ‘Uncle’ Smoke will always be a constant. Now the tables have turned on ‘Happy’ Harvick to do the same for Dominic James Stewart.

With time, both these former NASCAR Cup champions have translated their talents to become the best racing dads they could be. From pranking each other in their motor homes to discussing diaper duty, it would appear Harvick and Stewart are embracing the challenge of parenthood with arms wide open. But it’s no surprise that the latter still has some ways to go before he exercises his full potential as a first-time father.

Regardless, The Closer extended his congratulations to his old ally on the November 19th episode of ‘Happy Hour,’ where he along with his co-hosts Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith shared their picks for the coveted end-of-year awards in their signature relatable style. Kevin asserted, “Once [Tony and Leah] get their feet on the ground, I’m going to visit. I just have to see this with my own two eyes.” But it’s not just the baby beckoning to the 48-year-old icon. With the air of brotherhood blowing strong, Harvick explained it best: “I want to see Dad holding the baby.”

“I know mom’s going to be a great mom. And I know Tony’s going to be a great dad,” assured Harvick, and explained why he wanted to see Tony Stewart cradle his son. “I just have to visually see him hold the baby… And I just want to be there long enough for it to crap its pants, and he has to change the diaper.”  The entire room erupted in laughter. Harvick then talked about what would make the moment all that sweeter, “If we can somehow convince him to go in the car, and we can take the baby somewhere by ourselves, and it happened in the car. That’d be better. It would be way better.” 

In fact, Mamba Smith joked about setting Tony Stewart up for failure, grinning as they discussed playful schemes on ‘Happy Hour.’ But that was the last thing on Harvick’s mind. So he quickly corrected his co-host, saying, “It’s not failure. It’s the experience. There are no real failures. You’re going to have multiple failures as a parent. That’s just part of the process.”

“But what a fantastic scenario… For him to be a dad is something that I’m super excited about. So, congratulations to Tony and Leah,” concluded Kevin Harvick. His undying bond with Tony Stewart remains as strong as the day he retired from full-time Cup racing at his friend’s race team after an entire decade of service. This episode of Happy Hour only revealed how much they’ve evolved over the years, as Daddy Smoke prepares to take the next step in his glorious life journey.

But almost a month before Stewart became father, he discussed his emerging sentiments with Kevin Harvick on the latter’s podcast to give us all a better insight into how he’s balancing his new role as a full-time father.

Fatherhood won’t be any regular pit stop for Tony Stewart

The reality of the situation will eventually sink in when the Daytona 500 comes around next February. With Stewart-Haas shutting its doors forever, Tony Stewart’s occasional appearances on the NASCAR circuit will dwindle even more than they already have. That’s not a pleasing thought for any race fan who’s been around the sport since the turn of the millennium. Stewart has transitioned his advances well in his NHRA drag racing with his wife Leah guiding him from the sidelines. His rapid progress earned him the 2024 NHRA Top Fuel Rookie of the Year award.

His racing prowess speaks for itself.

“And I think we all forget how much Tony Stewart moves the needle,” noted Harvick. “When Tony Stewart is getting out of the ownership side of NASCAR, that’s a pretty big moment.” There is more than enough on his plate to look out for. But parenthood is a race that’s been giving Stewart cold feet, and he revealed his feelings to his friend on the October 24 episode of the ‘Happy Hour’ podcast.

Laying out his ordeal in the most Tony Stewart way possible, the man had explained, “Thank God the dog, if it doesn’t get fed, it can make it till morning. And it doesn’t get too upset about it… I’m not going to get away with that with this kid.” However, watching Kevin and DeLana Harvick’s journey as parents has certainly given Stewart a better idea. While he’s a pro at understanding race cars, he’s a total newbie when it comes to babies. Luckily, he’s got a supportive wife and a “Daddy App” to guide him through this exciting journey.