Tony Stewart has never lacked respect for the Daytona 500. Over his long career, the three-time Cup Series champion has spoken about it with a blend of awe and frustration. The race is NASCAR’s biggest stage, the “Great American Race”, a 200-lap pressure cooker that kicks off the season. To Stewart, it always represented something sacred. Even though he never won it, he never discounted its value. In interviews through the years, Stewart’s reverence for Daytona was clear.

He once said, “To be a driver who can cross off one of those marquee events as a winner cements your legacy in motorsports. To be able to win the Daytona 500 is the ultimate dream of a race car driver.” Despite 19 overall wins at the Speedway across different events, the Harley J. Earl Trophy always stayed just out of reach. His 17 tries in the Daytona 500 ended in heartbreak, crashes, and near-misses.

Still, he respected the race, its legacy, its difficulty, and the way it crowned legends. But that was then. Now, the same race he once chased for two decades has sparked controversy because of him. Stewart’s recent comments about the race’s current state didn’t just raise eyebrows; they set social media ablaze. NASCAR fans didn’t hold back. In fact, they torched him. Recently, on the Rubbin’ Is Racing podcast, Stewart vented his frustrations in a candid, unfiltered way.

“When it comes to Daytona now… in my eyes, it doesn’t mean the same now as it did 15–20 years ago. Anybody can win. Some of the guys that won the Daytona 500… they’re not guys that should have won the Daytona 500. And they won the Daytona 500, and that’s all they’ve won,” Stewart said.  He added that the field is now too equal, the racing too chaotic, and the results too random. Stewart emphasized he wouldn’t trade even one of his championships for three Daytona 500 wins.

Despite its place as the sport’s marquee race, Stewart argued, it doesn’t separate great drivers from good ones anymore. He emphasized the unpredictability of modern racing. “Since Kurt Busch’s win in 2017, not one Daytona 500 winner has gone on to win the championship,” he added. While his comments have a lot of facts, fans didn’t buy it. One fan fired back online: “Usually agree with Stewart, but this is wrong. The race has always been a wildcard.” That’s hard to argue.

From Michael Waltrip to Trevor Bayne, Daytona has seen surprise winners long before the Next Gen car came along. It’s never been a guarantee that a Daytona 500 winner will be a season-long powerhouse. In fact, recent Daytona 500 champions have shown the same pattern. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2023 finished 16 despite winning the iconic race. Similarly, Austin Cindric in 2022 ended the year 11th in points. Michael McDowell 2021 also wrapped his season in 16th place. Only Byron in 2024 cracked the top five by finishing third.

These finishes back Stewart’s claim in part. But they also highlight the randomness that’s always defined this special race. And that’s Stewart’s issue. He feels the sport’s biggest race should crown its best driver. Not just a lucky survivor of late-race wrecks. Of course, Stewart had his chances. Seventeen of them. His closest shot came in 2004 when he finished second to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In 2008, he was leading until Ryan Newman edged him out thanks to a push from teammate Kurt Busch. His last shot, in 2015, ended early after a crash on lap 41. He finished 42nd. By 2023, Stewart had accepted his fate. “I can tell you this—I have zero interest in going and running in a Daytona 500. I respect the history of that event. But I’m not going for a 30% chance of finishing the race,” he said.  His tone said it all. He was done chasing the dream. But fans? They were just getting started.

Internet hits back at Tony Stewart!

NASCAR fans didn’t just disagree with Tony Stewart’s recent Daytona 500 take—they ridiculed his opinion. The backlash came swiftly, sharply, and brutally. “It’s becoming increasingly evident that Tony Stewart is a complete mo—,” one fan posted. Others piled on. “From 1994 to 2011, guys who will never sniff the HOF won 7 500s—Sterling Marlin, Michael Waltrip, Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne. All four have 10 career wins or less,” another user added.

That’s true. And it proves both points. The Daytona 500 has always allowed for underdogs. Always opened the door to one-off glory. What’s changed may be the style of racing, but not the pattern of upsets. “Random ppl have been winning the 500 since I was born. What is he on about?” wrote another, pointing to a long history of unpredictable results in the race. They’re not wrong. Since 1994, several one-hit wonders have taken home the Daytona 500 trophy, while multiple champions like Kyle Busch and others.

“He’d be totally different if he had won one. He’s a POS like always,” another said. This sentiment came up often. Some fans believe Stewart is only bitter because the race always slipped through his fingers. That if he had one Harley J. Earl Trophy, he’d be singing a different tune today. Even so, many believe Stewart crossed a line. The Great American Race means too much to too many. To question its worth is to question the dreams of every driver who lines up on that front row in February. There’s a reason why Martin Truex Jr. had a go at it in the open car this year. Then there is 2-time champ, Kyle Busch, who is also awaiting his first Daytona 500 championship. So it is still a big deal.

One fan even dared Smoke to name-drop the drivers he feels are unworthy to win the Daytona 500. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the first suggestion. “He might as well just have said Stenhouse. Ricky is a restrictor plate goat tho.” Yeah, he’s not the most versatile driver or championship contender. But as far as superspeedway racing is concerned, it’s his strong suit. Apart from the Daytona 500 win, he has a win and a top 5 result at Talladega, both of which came last year. And in 2025, he registered a P5 finish at Atlanta as well. So, the Hyak Motorsports driver is doing the best he can with a one-car team and limited resources. Would you blame him for securing a place in the playoffs on the back of a superspeedway win?

Tony Stewart may be one of the greatest to ever climb into a stock car. But this time, fans aren’t letting “Smoke” off the hook.