When does a driver know it’s time to hang up their helmet? For Tony Stewart, the answer isn’t about age or accolades; it’s about the thrill of racing. Back in 2015, Tony Stewart reflected on his decision to retire from the Cup Series, stating, “Deep down, you know when it’s time to do something different and make a change like this.” He has spent nearly 5 decades chasing victories across multiple forms of motorsports. Now, as the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and reigning NHRA Top Fuel regular-season champion says, the drag racing world and the NASCAR community won’t have to wait long to learn about his next move.

After retiring from full-time NASCAR racing in 2016, Stewart didn’t slow down; instead, he continued to compete in select NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series races, showcasing his versatility. The 54-year-old even dipped his toes into the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and the All-Star Circuit of Champions. And just three years ago, he founded Tony Stewart Racing Nitro, marking his entry into the NHRA Top Fuel drag racing series. With that, there was no looking back. As Stewart pushes his limits, he is still ready to go out there and battle young stars.

Speaking on Dale Jr. Download, ‘Smoke’ made his stance clear and is not willing to stop anytime soon: “I don’t see an end anytime near in the future. We’ve had a lot of our friends that have sat there and said, you know, ‘When’s enough going to be enough?’ You know, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, but my brain doesn’t say that this is it yet.'”

And if anything, the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series has been a testament to Stewart’s prowess in Top Fuel drag racing. As of the latest standings, Tony Stewart is ranked second with 2,167 points, trailing Doug Kalitta by just 18 points. Throughout the season, he has consistently competed against top-tier drivers such as Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, and Brittany Force, securing multiple top-five finishes.

Notably, Stewart clinched his NHRA Top Fuel victory at the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois, in a head-to-head against 15-time winner Justin Ashley. His consistent performance with 4 career wins across Top Fuel and TAD and 10 Career Final Rounds has solidified his position as a serious contender in the championship. There is no way that Tony Stewart is showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. Moreover, Dale Junior emphasized and praised Stewart’s fitness level at this age. However, Tony Stewart does know when his time will come.

He added, “I think it’s going to be just like it was for you (Dale Jr.) and I, you know, with being full-time Cup drivers. I mean, we love the sport. We love that excitement of getting to the track Thursday night and doing what we do for three days a week, but there’s just that morning you wake up and you’re like, ‘Yeah, I think I’ve had enough.’ You know, and not because you don’t love it, and you don’t like it. It’s just that you physically and mentally have to make a change. You know, there’s just part of it where your body and your mind tell you it’s time to do something different.”

And physicality is everything, and racing tests it now and then. Just four days ago, during the second round of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania, Tony Stewart was involved in a high-speed collision with a fellow Top Fuel competitor. Doug Kalitta’s dragster experienced mechanical failure, causing it to veer across the center line and collide with Tony’s vehicle. The impact sent Stewart’s dragster onto each side before it landed back on its wheels and struck the left guard wall. Both drivers were traveling at speeds exceeding 325 mph at the time of the incident.

Despite the severity of the crash, both Stewart and Kalitta were alert and exited their vehicles under their own power. Stewart reported experiencing a concussion and has even been under medical evaluation, admitting that he does not remember the crash. The NHRA has deployed the safety measures in place that contributed to the drivers’ well-being following the crash. But despite the setback, Tony Stewart is set to return to the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals event in Concord, North Carolina, this weekend.

Moreover, his new venture with Rico Abreu for the 2026 season further highlights his racing prowess. Racing is in Stewart’s DNA—just peek at his family and you’ll see why.

Tony Stewart sheds light on his “racing family”

A few days ago, Tony Stewart Racing confirmed that Leah Pruett will return to full-time NHRA competition in 2026. The 12-time Top Fuel winner will be taking the seat back from her husband, who earned the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart himself has already racked up two wins in 2025, including a triumph at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. Yet, stepping away from his own successful stint behind the drag racing wheel hardly weighs on him.

What matters most now is having his vibrant family’s clothes, as he shared on a DJD episode, “To get to go to the racetrack each weekend, get to do it with my wife, to now have our son there.” Being close to his son, Dominic, also makes the tough day easier. Tony Stewart didn’t shy away from expressing his love. He said, “He is 30 ft away from me at all times. I can go run in that trailer at any time, hug him, kiss him all I want, play with him.”

Reflecting on his crash and the need for his family to be there with him, he added, “Our crash the other day happened at 240 MPH…We had a backup car, we had the opportunity to test with Leah on Monday. She got to make the hits in the car, and I’m banged up a little bit. The doctor’s orders not to get in the car…So to have my wife shake up the car, that’s a pretty cool deal for me.”

On top of his dad duties, Stewart still gets to embrace his role as a son; his 87-year-old father, Nelson Stewart, continues to raise three-quarter midgets. Tony said, “My dad’s 87 years old now; we raced three-quarter midgets together. And so, getting to race with my dad occasionally, that’s something that I haven’t had the opportunity to do before.”

Despite the appeals and shifts in his career, Tony Stewart is clearly thriving. Summing it up in a simple, bold confession, he said, “We are just a racing family.” Though he has moved on from a full-throttle, multidisciplinary racing life, having his family at his side has made all the difference.