Before Tony Stewart was a team owner, he made his name in NASCAR as a driver. The man who has his name written in history has been racing ever since 1979 when he first got into a go-kart. He was a natural, as the very next year, he won his first championship. Stewart dominated the tracks until 1995, when he became the first driver to win USAC’s Triple Crown, winning championships in USAC’s major divisions, National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown. But that was not all for him.

He slowly transitioned to NASCAR and IndyCar, where his career really began to pick up. But before that, he was a driver who had one of the most major incidents on track back in 1992 but it was that day itself that he proved that he was no mere race car driver, but was made for greater things. 32 years ago, it was on August 8 that Tony Stewart proved that an accident would never come in the way of him and racing. So, let’s dive into what exactly happened at the Salem track.

What cemented Tony Stewart’s name into American Motorsport History

It’s unfair to say that any given moment of Stewart’s life led to him becoming the legend he is today. The man who is known for his candid reactions to racing was taken out of the track and into the trees when Mike Blake collided with Steve Butler. Stewart was an innocent bystander in the crash, as Butler’s car threw him over the fence.

ESPN reported the incident and stated, “He was shaken but not seriously injured.” Young Stewart then shared his thoughts on the incident, saying, “I really didn’t know that I was over the fence yet. When I started hitting the trees, I knew I was in trouble. That’s what scared me the most—I was worried about a tree limb getting through my head or something.”

Concerned for the young driver’s health, the reporter asked him, “How is your body?” To which the driver boldly said, “My lower left leg is pretty sore right now.” Despite this being an accident that had fans and staff at the edge of their seats, Tony Stewart was not close to being done with the race.

After the crash, Stewart wasted no time before putting his driving suit back on and getting into Bruce Field’s sprint car. He had to start the race last at P20, but ultimately finished P9, which was something that almost no one had seen before. As the report stated, “I tip my hat to the youngster from Columbus, Indiana. I’ve never seen anybody do that on the banks before—never.”

With this, we see that it was before Stewart made his way to NASCAR that he was a man with a passion for driving. While this incident ended up with Tony Stewart proving that he is an amazing race car driver, the incident on August 9, 2014, brought about quite some drama.

The Death of Kevin Ward Jr

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While motorsport racing continues to become a safer sport with new rules in place, the loss of Kevin Ward Jr’s life was a tragic incident that people will remember forever. So here is what happened during the unfortunate incident: Back in 2014, Tony Stewart was competing in an evening sprint car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Canandaigua, New York, when the race took a sad turn after he bumped into Ward Jr’s car.

The contact with Stewart led Ward Jr into the wall, ending his race. However, this was not what claimed his life. The problem began when the 20-year-old walked out of his car onto the track to confront Stewart as he came back around after finishing the lap. Ward Jr pointed at the No. 45 car as he got hit by Stewart’s rear right wheel, putting him in the hospital. It was shortly after that he was pronounced dead, and fans were left in shock looking at the incident.

After the race, Stewart came forward to talk about the incident saying, “There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. It’s a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I’ve decided not to participate in today’s race at Watkins Glen. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

That being said, as some close calls in the past might have led to Stewart becoming a legend in motorsports, others brought controversy with the tragic loss of a young racer. With that said, what do you think of Tony Stewart’s time in NASCAR? Share your thoughts in the comments below.