Kevin Harvick Blames Tony Stewart’s “Tough Guy Mentality” Behind Mindset During Birth of Child

In November of last year, at age 53, Tony Stewart stepped into fatherhood with the birth of his son, Dominic. Although Stewart had previously opened up about the emotional hurdles he faced before becoming a father, particularly the desire for the grounding presence of a child, it seems that even someone as unshakable behind the wheel as Stewart wasn’t entirely comfortable in the delivery room.

Known for mastering anything with four wheels, cutting the umbilical cord was a different ballgame. Kevin Harvick, one of Stewart’s closest confidants, shared a light-hearted account of the moment while speaking to a SpeedFreaks reporter at Texas.

When asked if Stewart truly hesitated with the cord, Harvick clarified, “It’s not that he didn’t enjoy it. He’s still got a little bit of that tough guy mentality that he was afraid he was going to pass out when he saw the blood, I’m sure.”

“That’s his soft spot. He is weak in several ways. So, I’m glad that he experienced that. I’m glad that he’s getting to experience all the things that he’s getting to be able to experience with Dominic,” he continued.

Stewart himself was moved by the experience of meeting his son for the first time. “The short three hours that I got to spend with [Dominic] overnight—you couldn’t put a price tag on it. I’d do it all over again for that little boy, for my wife, and for our family,” he said.

Leah Pruett took to social media to proudly announce the birth and share behind-the-scenes details. While many assumed Stewart might steer clear of the delivery room, she revealed he stood by her side every step of the way.

After nine hours of labor and an hour and a half of pushing, she held their son for the first time while Stewart, despite his nerves, cut the cord.

How did the Stewarts come up with the name of their son?

Tony and Leah Pruett named their son Dominic James Stewart. In a post-birth interview, Tony explained the thought process behind the name.

“The problem is when you are 53 years old and know as many people as I do… It took out a lot of good names,” he said, referring to how friends or acquaintances had already claimed many options, which complicated the decision.

Still, he added, “But I knew that [Dominic] was a name she [Pruett] had mentioned before and really liked.” As of now, Stewart is filling in for Leah Pruett in drag racing. While he isn’t competing at her level, he’s held down the fort well. But Stewart made it clear — once she’s ready to return, he’ll gladly step aside without hesitation.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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