“Tony Stewart Was the First Guy I Manned Up To”: Chase Elliott Reveals the One Time He Had to Break Some Harsh News to His Father About His Inspirations

Living up truly to his moniker, Tony “Smoke” Stewart is certainly one of the legends any aspiring driver looks up to, including active NASCAR drivers such as Chase Elliott. Stewart’s uncanny ability to go dirt racing one day and show up on the asphalt tracks on another day to set the stage on fire is perhaps what had a profound influence on Elliott during his younger days.

The 2020 Cup Series champion and arguably one of the best in the current era opened up in the ‘Pure Athlete’ podcast and extensively spoke about Stewart‘s deep influence on him despite being under the wing of a legend like Bill Elliott.

Chase Elliott’s “racer’s racer” – Tony Stewart

Despite being from a racing family, brought up by none other than the great Bill Elliott, Chase Elliott certainly has a father he can look up to. But imagine the might of Stewart when Elliott admits it was “Smoke” that was the first guy he manned up to. That was the level of grip and influence “Smoke” had on the sport.

Most of today’s talents like Kyle Larson are actually following the SHR co-owner’s footsteps, even prompting the “once in a generation talent” to attempt the infamous “Double” like when Stewart went hunting in IndyCar only to return to NASCAR on the same evening. Talking about the impression the now 52-year-old had on his younger self, Elliott mentioned how he was always in awe of Stewart’s aura.

He said, “Tony Stewart was the first guy that I finally manned up enough to say, ‘Hey I like this guy’, you know, because when you grow up inside the house of someone else racing it takes some guts to be like, ‘Hey, I think I like this other guy too’, you know, not that you were completely jumping ships to actually come out and say that you know was difficult so Tony was really that first one for me. He was such a good guy, you know. He’s so good with kids from that standpoint.” 

WATCH THIS STORY: Tony Stewart: The man, the myth, the legend 

Elliott on racing against his idol

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Stewart’s legacy will forever be etched in the minds of NASCAR fans. His iconic duel with Carl Edwards when he won the championship, coming in like a blizzard to snatch the title from the JGR driver, is, in fact, one of the iconic races in the sport’s history. In short, he is the kind of man that fans and drivers refer to as a man’s man.

The man had racing in his veins. Put him in a car, whether it be a midget, dirt model, open-wheel, or Stock car, and he would show why he was called “Smoke.” His on-track antics, brash persona, and media outbursts might make him a polarising figure for many, but for guys like Elliott, who grew up seeing the veteran best his contenders, Stewart is a role model.

Shortly after Elliott revealed tidbits about his idol, he went on to talk about the iconic moment when he raced the veteran. In fact, NASCAR’s Most Popular driver remembers the moment vividly. He said, “He was a racer’s racer, you know. I mean he was the guy who was willing to go race whatever whenever all the time, dirt, asphalt, didn’t matter. Being a race fan that I was, I always thought that was super cool and even better when he took some time to be really nice to me so Tony was really that first one and I got the chance to race against him. My first year in Cup was his final season, so that was a pretty cool moment too.” 

READ MORE: Tony Stewart’s SRX Racing Beats NASCAR as they Reveal International Expansion Plans for 2024

It’s remarkable to see Chase grow up around so many legends who left an indelible mark on him. Perhaps that is what pushes him to be his best every day, as is apparent from the mostly consistent performances in his career. Pushing accidental injuries and other road bumps aside, it is safe to say that the 2020 Cup champ is a legend in the making!