While media personnel are renowned for their probing questions that can unsettle NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs, none could turn the tables quite like Tony Stewart. Known for his sharp wit and memorable soundbites, Stewart, aka ‘Smoke,’ consistently kept the press on their toes with his mix of sarcasm and candor.
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For instance, an incident in 2011 when a journalist queried the then-Cup Series champion about his feelings sitting next to his rival, Carl Edwards, particularly after intense on-track battles. Stewart brushed off the question with ease. He acknowledged that as seasoned professionals, he and Edwards had been in similar situations multiple times.
Stewart quipped that his interaction with Edwards was just part of the job, maintaining his usual composure without a hint of animosity. However, he did criticize ESPN’s penchant for stirring drama among drivers by commenting,
“You guys and ESPN loves to try to build that c**p in between everybody. At least they’re consistent about it. Everybody at ESPN is consistent about that. I don’t see it being any different than normal.”
Despite such instances, in 2013, the three-time NASCAR champion was unexpectedly honored with the prestigious Myers Brothers Award for his significant contributions to the sport.
The award, bestowed by the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), a media organization, came as a surprise to Stewart, particularly given his complex relationship with the media.
Reflecting on this, in a 2014 interview, he expressed his astonishment: “I never in my wildest dreams would have uh anticipated I’d even been nominated for an award like that let alone receive it.”
Stewart, known for his fiery encounters with the press, acknowledged the irony in receiving accolades from them, remarking, “It’s voted on by the Press which that in itself for me to win an award by the Press is a pretty big deal for me because we’ve always had a Love-Hate relationship.”
“But they’ve always given that award for outstanding contributions to the sport and I don’t feel like that I’ve done any more than anybody else.”
“But it’s a huge honor I had no clue which made it even that much better than just was it caught us off guard out of the blue but it was it’s something that’s very humbling and very flattering,” he concluded.
Stewart was recognized particularly for his role as the owner of Eldora Speedway, the half-mile dirt track that made headlines for hosting the first national NASCAR race on dirt in 43 years when the Truck Series competed there in July.
