Several NASCAR drivers, including Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch, have consistently reported being calmer, composed, and happier after becoming fathers. For them, the transition has ushered in a deeper sense of composure and contentment. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., however, maintains that becoming a father has not altered his approach behind the wheel, even as he embraces the joys of parenthood.
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In contrast, Stenhouse Jr. views the arrival of his son, Stetson, in July 2024 as an enriching life experience rather than a transformative one professionally.
“I don’t think it’s changed me as a driver other than I was super bummed we didn’t get to the win at Talladega because I wanted him there in Victory Lane. I had him in the fall at Talladega. They didn’t make the trip down, so that was a bummer.”
Stenhouse, currently with Hyak Motorsports, shared his excitement about watching his son grow. He said, “But it’s just really fun and really enjoyable watching him change. I feel like he changes every single day. It’s just fun.
“I can’t wait to play and run around outside with him and, if he wants to race go-karts or ride go-karts, dirt bikes, you name it. I’m looking forward to that part of it as well.”
Now approaching his first birthday, young Stetson has already found his place in Stenhouse’s social media updates, offering fans a glimpse into the personal side of the 2023 Daytona 500 winner.
Like Stenhouse, Wallace and Busch have embraced parenthood
Bubba Wallace, in particular, has raised his performance roof this season. After opening last year with consecutive fifth-place finishes, he has elevated his game by scoring back-to-back third-place results at Homestead and Martinsville. At the end of 18 races, he has recorded three top-five finishes and added three more inside the top ten.
Speaking to CBS Mornings, Wallace reflected on how fatherhood has reshaped his outlook. He said, “I think coming into this year, we’ve had a lot of good things happen off the racetrack, Baby boy being born, six months old. It’s a nice perspective shift, a mentality shift to where I say this in the most positive way… It took having a kid to realize like there’s so much more to life [than racing].”
Kyle Busch, too, has credited his son Brexton with influencing his personal growth. After challenging race weekends, Busch often finds solace in his son’s words of comfort. “Sorry, Dad! You just didn’t have the car today,” Brexton would say.
Those moments, Busch has explained, prompted a more measured, on-track demeanor as he hopes to set a better example for his son by stepping away from his earlier aggressive tendencies.
