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MADISON, IL – SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Stewart looks on during qualifying for the NHRA Midwest National on September 25, 2021, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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MADISON, IL – SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Stewart looks on during qualifying for the NHRA Midwest National on September 25, 2021, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tony Stewart’s growing inclination toward the NHRA over NASCAR has not gone unnoticed. His unwavering efforts to bust the myths about Drag Racing’s inferiority compared to NASCAR are also apparent. Not to mention Stewart’s full-time commitment to the Top Fuel seat for the 2024 season.
This time, Stewart has drawn parallels between the NHRA and NASCAR. Per the Tony Stewart Racing owner, his latest opinion might not sit well with the president of the massively popular motorsport as he unraveled his views on the NASCAR viewing experience.
NASCAR is better on TV: Tony Stewart
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The debate about watching the NASCAR race on the television or the tracks doesn’t seem to end soon. But NASCAR recently struck a $7.7 billion deal with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports as its television and streaming partners. This billion-dollar deal with the big players in the industry indicates nothing else but the growing demand for televised races over the traditional method. But what’s with this switch of preferences?
Stewart’s words during the Race Industry Week 2023 by EPARTRADE discussion might answer the question. He emphasized how NASCAR’s experience on television is much better as compared to watching it offline and said, “Steve [Phelps] won’t like me saying this, but a NASCAR race is 10 times better. In my opinion, unless you’re camping and going for the entire weekend and enjoying the whole weekend, it is much better to watch it on TV than to be there live.”
Steward didn’t stop at the top layer of his belief and delved deeper into the rationale behind his opinion and unveiled, “Because you get all the telemetry, you get to see all the behind-the-scenes action as it’s going on during that three-three and a half hour period.”
Read More: Can Tony Stewart Fill the Massive Void After $106 Billion Worth Sponsors Leave Along With Veterans?
With decades of experience in NASCAR, Stewart voted for the televised version of the race. But that’s not the case with the NHRA, as the 52-year-legend gave a different verdict.
Stewart outlines the contrast between NHRA and NASCAR
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NASCAR is a long race, requiring a view from all the angles. But the NHRA is in complete contrast owing to the race duration of barely 4 seconds. So broadcasting the drag race from pin to plane becomes a cumbersome affair. Stewart laid down his view about NHRA and said, “NHRA drag racing, it is the polar opposite of that. I’m telling you as a race fan first, it is 10 times better to be there versus watching it just on TV.”
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STAFFORD SPRINGS, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 12: Tony Stewart waits on the grid prior to the Inaugural Superstar Racing Experience Event at Stafford Motor Speedway on June 12, 2021 in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. (Photo by Elsa/SRX via Getty Images)
He then expressed the moments that TV can’t capture in the NHRA and unveiled, “What TV can’t show you is the concussion, the smells, the feel. When you’re sitting in the grandstands, and you feel your insides, your organs inside your body moving because of the concussion of the exhaust, it’s not painful, but it’s like going to an amusement park and that feeling when you ride the roller coaster.”
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Stewart’s stint with both types of racing has put him in a better position to evaluate the circumstances aptly. But do you agree with Tony Stewart’s views or would you like to add something to it?
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