Long before the likes of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch ranted about changes to the Next Gen car, Tony Stewart used to lead the charge and often land himself in trouble for doing so. Back in 2007, he wasn’t even calling out NASCAR or the top brass from the organization, he simply was overwhelmed with emotions after winning in his backyard at the Brickyard. “This one’s for every one of those fans in the stands who pull for me every week and take all the (expletive) from everybody else.”

NASCAR fined the driver $25,000 and docked 25 points. This wasn’t a one-off incident, as in 2016, an owner/driver decided to vent out his frustration against the officials, speaking out, highlighting safety flaws. “This is not a game you play with safety and that’s exactly the way I feel like NASCAR is treating this.” He said before his return to Cup racing at Richmond Raceway, and once again, NASCAR didn’t appreciate the honest feedback. They dropped another big fine of $35,000 on Smoke. Fast forward to 2025, Stewart is no longer associated with the sport, and like always, he once again spoke his heart out, exposing NASCAR’s blatant ignorance, resulting in its own downfall.

Tony Stewart exposes NASCAR’s ignorance

The Next Gen era of racing was supposed to promote competitive racing and encourage smaller teams to rub shoulders with the big dogs. However, in reality, the product has given rise to fuel-saving racing on superspeedways, track-position heavy racing on short tracks, and relies on execution over skill to get the desired result. Everything is mapped, calculated and documented, yet the racing, more times than not, is a snooze fest or outright carnage. Last year’s Talladega race is the prime example of that, when 28 cars piled up just because drivers couldn’t make passes.

The easy solution for a speedway package is more horsepower, and for short tracks, it is a softer tire. Drivers and experts believe this, yet NASCAR isn’t sold on these ideas and is content with the current product. As it turns out, the stance was pretty much the same when Stewart used to compete. “We came up with that sh– years ago and went to NASCAR. We went to NASCAR with it. They were so ignorant,” he said on Rubbin is Racing, remembering a meeting where 20 drivers, nearly half the field, presented suggestions to improve racing. The response? “One guy told us all five things we said were the opposite. And he goes, our data shows the other way,” Tony Stewart recalled with obvious frustration.

What makes Stewart’s criticism particularly biting is his assertion that the official who dismissed the drivers’ input “had never driven a race car. Never worked on a race car. But tells us that 20 drivers that have been doing this their entire lives and worked their ass to get to this professional level told us we were all wrong. Before that would have got me a fine a year ago, I would have got fined for what I just said. I don’t work for them anymore. I can say whatever the hell I want.” The veteran driver explained further, and this wasn’t the first time he lashed out against NASCAR.

Well, it’s been almost a decade since Stewart and drivers took their complaints to NASCAR. Only last year, RTA decided to challenge NASCAR’s unchecked power, demanding a better economic model and influence in the decision-making process. This was done during the negotiations for the new charter deal. Just like 2014, NASCAR once again had the final laugh as they pushed the teams with a ‘take or leave it’ offer before the playoffs. All but two teams defied NASCAR’s wishes and took NASCAR to court, filing an antitrust lawsuit, labeling the France family as monopolistic bullies. And, surprisingly, Stewart, after his exit from SHR, also called out the controversial charter system, siding with Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Trending

1

“This One’s Chase Elliott”: Kyle Busch’s Daughter Makes A Relic Of Her Self-anointed Hendrick Motorsports ‘Boyfriend’

2

Chase Elliott’s Fan Base Births a Juicy NASCAR Rumor, Pitching Fired Veteran to Rick Hendrick

3

“Where the F—Are You?” – Amy Earnhardt’s Furious Hunt for Dale Jr. After Vegas Goes Off the Rails

4

Kyle Busch Gets Emotional Watching Son Brexton Mirror His Iconic Victory Pose

5

“R.I.P.”: Mario Andretti Pays His Respects After Former Le Mans Winner Unexpectedly Passes Away

Stewart rips into NASCAR’s charter system, calling it a joke

After Kevin Harvick’s departure, SHR had hit a major slump. With wins drying up and the economic demands becoming unsustainable, the 3-time NASCAR Cup champion decided to part ways with NASCAR. Stewart-Haas Racing announced its closure after 2024, and this news sent shockwaves across the racing community. Smoke, who has been vocal about his opinion of the sport, talked about the current situation where NASCAR is embroiled in a legal battle over the controversial charter agreement.

“The charter agreements are a joke. And if people aren’t smart enough to read between the lines – when someone like Rick Hendrick says, ‘I just got tired of arguing with them.’ Do you think Rick Hendrick runs his business and negotiations and just says, ‘I’m going to just sign this agreement because I’m tired of arguing with you.’ Rick Hendrick’s never done that a day in his life… So, it’s just an area I don’t want to be a part of anymore. I’m a purist, I’m an old-school guy when it comes to racing.” Stewart said in an interview.

Be it on track racing product or the business model, Tony Stewart hasn’t pulled any punches in calling out NASCAR and the way they operate. Now that he’s focused on NHRA racing, he can speak his mind, and who knows, he will uncover more such stories about NASCAR.