Tony Stewart Reveals the Legacy He Wants to Leave Behind as One of the Most Successful Motorsport Athletes

When Tony Stewart began his hunt in the Cup Series over two decades ago, many touted him to be the next AJ Foyt or Jeff Gordon, but the iron-willed Indiana native gave rise to a NASCAR legacy that‘s been a rollercoaster of euphoric highs and nightmarish lows.

In a time when drivers have to be careful about every word they say to the public, Stewart had the courage to voice his opinions and sometimes his anger to the media pulling no punches which allowed him to flourish as an icon of a forgotten era, a time when all that drivers and teams cared about was winning.

With 3 Cups as a driver and team owner and 49 race wins, there are only a few that could challenge ‘Smoke’. However, looking back at the sheer scale of the impact he’s left on the sport’s fans from yesteryears, Stewart has revealed that there is a lot more that goes into building a legacy in NASCAR which stands the test of time than just focusing on race craft by itself.

Tony Stewart believes it is more than just winning that creates a lasting legacy

The Stewart-Haas racing boss sat down with his promising driver, Chase Briscoe, to share insights into how he’s built such an iconic legacy. Briscoe, who is trying to make a name for himself, asked the legend what he wished the history books would say about the legacy Stewart left behind. The Smoke shared, “I would hope that it would say that people looked at me as a racing driver that, I could get in any racecar and any racetrack at any time, and I could be competitive, no matter whether it was small or big, dirt, pavement or road course. If we showed up on a racetrack, we were competitive in every type of car that we drove.”

It’s no secret that Stewart’s love for motorsport and the art of racing ran deeper than the stock cars he’d gotten so used to racing around the oval. When the Smoke wasn’t busy during the weekends in the Cup series, he would take part in local races littered across America. He would sometimes also enter the races anonymously to avoid getting caught! His passion for the sport meant he wanted to win not just against the competitors on the grid, but also against racers across the globe, and this is what truly set him apart from the rest.

Tony Stewart also reflected on the combination of elements required to create a legacy that will stand the test of time, “Well, I think there have to be iconic moments that people cling onto and hold on to and cherish that memory as much as you do as a driver. I literally think it’s about the fan’s perspective, the media’s perspective, the sanctioning body, your peers, what you’ve accomplished and the sort and how you’ve done it. I think that’s what builds that legacy.”

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Although Stewart called it quits in 2016, it’s been difficult for him to stay away from the track for too long. With his involvement in the SRX Series and winning the Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Vegas earlier this year, it’s safe to say nothing satisfies the Smoke’s urges more than wheel-to-wheel racing! However, if there’s one thing Tony Stewart regrets about his iconic moments in the sport, it’s not being able to match Kyle Larson’s heroism at the Eldora Speedway.

Kyle Larson’s dominance still plagues Stewart

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Speaking about some of his best memories of an 18-year-long career, Stewart shared with Briscoe that winning the midget race, sprint race and finishing second behind Jack Hewitt in the Silver Crown car was a feeling not many understood. However, Kyle Larson’s show of dominance at the track still bothers Stewart to this day, as he aspired for a similar weekend that would have topped his career highlights reel. Stewart was quoted by TheSportsRush, “Especially after Kyle Larson in his first trip to the racetrack won the midget, sprint car, and the silver crown and not by a little, he won all of them by a lot. So that stings a little bit that I couldn’t at least match his record.”

Although Larson had one-upped Stewart, the Smoke looked at the positives that came from the Eldora Speedway. He had conquered two races that weekend and came so close to winning the third, but no harm was done to Stewart’s illustrious career from the second-place finish.

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It’s no secret that every driver has some regrets, a path they could have taken differently, an alternate strategy or the move to a team. But if we put aside Tony Stewart’s regrets, he’s certainly left a legacy that will inspire future NASCAR racers for years to come.