Tony Stewart Confesses He Was “Not a Good Person to People” in His NASCAR Days

NASCAR veteran Tony Stewart blatantly accepted that he should've been a better person to others in NASCAR.

Tony Stewart Confesses He Was “Not a Good Person to People” in His NASCAR Days

Tony Stewart (Via IMAGO)

Tony Stewart is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers in recent history. Stewart, who co-owned Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series, made his debut in 1999 and instantly achieved success. He made his mark during his 18-year-long career and won three Cup Series titles. However, looking back at his career, the 53-year-old has some things he’d like to change.

Stewart recently made an appearance at the Kenny Wallace‘s podcast. The 53-year-old recalled that during his time racing, he was incredibly focused on winning. The former Cup Series champion admitted that there were things he didn’t like about NASCAR. Yet, as a driver, he cared only about winning and never paid attention to change things.

I was so intense with racing. I was so on edge all the time. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about NASCAR. A lot of things I didn’t like how they did things. I didn’t like how a lot of it was done.

Tony Stewart said on the Kenny Conversation podcast.

This is not surprising behavior. NASCAR drivers are determined to do everything to win a race, and it is not uncommon for drivers to remain completely focused on racing instead of speaking out on larger issues.

Additionally, Tony Stewart accepted that he was never a ‘good’ person to people in the field. Though, he did not get into details, it was likely that the 53-year-old never intended to make friends on-track. The NASCAR veteran labeled his focus to be on what he called ‘winning racism.’

But while I was there, I mean, all I cared about was winning racism. What we had to do, and I was not a good person to people. I just wasn’t.

Tony Stewart added.

Tony Stewart compares NASCAR to drag racing

The former NASCAR team owner now competes in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Tony Stewart’s wife Leah Pruett took a break from the drag racing series in December 2023. Coming from the world of stock car racing, the NHRA was a stark change for Stewart. The 53-year-old found himself in a completely different atmosphere altogether.

Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart
Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart (Via IMAGO)

During Tony Stewart’s latest appearance on Kevin Harvick‘s Happy Hour podcast, the NASCAR veteran drew comparisons between the two series. A drag race could end within a matter of seconds, while NASCAR races would often stretch on way beyond three and a half hours.

While a stock car race had multiple pitstops allowing drivers to plan their runs, NHRA races didn’t even give a chance for drivers to blink. Getting used to this discipline would’ve been a major challenge for Stewart.

It’s not like what you and I were used to, where we’ve got a three-and-a-half-hour race. We’ve got six or eight pit stops throughout the day, and we have three, four, five hundred laps to get the job done. If we make a mistake, we’ll fix it.

Tony Stewart said on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast

Certainly, Tony Stewart must’ve learnt several lessons ever since he joined the NHRA. The NASCAR veteran was in a new world entirely and would’ve had to adapt at every moment.

Nevertheless, Stewart’s immense talent allowed him to enjoy the world of drag racing, where is likely to keep competing for the foreseeable future. While fans do miss his absence from the NASCAR field ever since Stewart-Haas ceased operations in the Cup Series.

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