“What Am I Gonna Do If…”: When Tony Stewart Revealed the Best Part About Being a Businessman Despite Preference for Racing

Tony Stewart is widely known for being a driver who can practically drive anything with four wheels. But one question is often raised about him: Why despite having a set career in NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing did he choose to venture into team ownership? While the now 53-year-old prefers driving to owning a team, he did give an insight into the perks of being an owner as well.

“Now there’s a plan for what’s life going to be like after driving. So, it’s not the question anymore of what am I gonna do if I get injured and can’t drive or I have to retire for some reason. What will I do with the rest of my life? We have these things in place now,” he remarked during a revealing 2014 interview, elaborating on what life could look like after he retires from competition on the track.

Stewart also affirmed his affinity for being a race car driver without hesitation and admitted he would always choose the driver’s seat over a desk. He believes the business side is a lot more challenging and difficult for him, reflecting, “You worry a lot more on the business side but we definitely get to balance it out with the driver’s side still.”

Stewart, when further probed about what he cherishes most about his involvement in the motorsports business, shared, “I think just since I started as a kid, you just become so passionate about it and you know that at some point you’re not going to drive a race car anymore. I mean there’s there’s going to be that day that you have to stop.”

From 1999 to 2001, he was part of Tri-Star Motorsports alongside Larry Curry, Andy Card, and Rick Ehrgott. Moreover, Stewart‘s passion for racing can be seen through his ownership of multiple racetracks, including Eldora Speedway, known for major dirt racing events, and Macon Speedway which he co-owned with Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace in 2007.

Owning teams and business does not mean he has stepped back from racing completely. In 2024, he delved into drag racing, stepping in for his wife Leah Pruett who has recently given birth to their son.

Did Rick Hendrick nudge Tony Stewart into NASCAR team ownership?

Although Stewart had the experience of co-owning a NASCAR team, Tri Star Motorsports, a phone call from Rick Hendrick changed a lot of things for him. Reflecting on this in a 2014 interview, Stewart recounted how the Hendrick Motorsports owner essentially paved the way for what would become Stewart-Haas Racing. He shared,

“Rick Hendrick gave me a call one day and said, ‘I think I have a unique opportunity you might be interested in’ and he went over all the details of what Gene [Haas] was offering. I wasn’t really looking to leave Joe Gibbs Racing, was happy there.”

“But this was an opportunity that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something different, to be able to go and be a Joe Gibbs, be a Rick Hendrick, and be a part of the ownership side,” he added.

As Stewart shifts his focus more toward family life, fans may anticipate a new version for him in the coming years. Meanwhile, NASCAR prepares to go live once again from Daytona International Speedway with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 in February next year.