Driving in NASCAR is an exhilarating challenge that demands full attention and focus on the racetrack. Any lapse in concentration can rapidly escalate the situation into a harrowing nightmare. Ernie Francis Jr, an IndyLights driver, found himself entangled in a disastrous predicament during an SRX Series race, and his troubles were far from over.

In the aftermath of the race, a furious Tony Stewart stormed over to Francis Jr, seizing hold of his collar and calling the move as “the dumbest sh*t.” The explosive altercation left a lasting impression, and the racing world was abuzz with curiosity about the incident. However, it wasn’t until a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast that Stewart finally revealed a shocking confession behind his outburst towards Francis Jr.

Tony Stewart opens up on his altercation with Ernie Francis Jr

Speaking with Dale Earnhardt Jr and Mike Davis, Stewart mentioned, “I love racing with that kid. Now I grabbed him by his collar. And everybody was like what is he so mad about? Well, somebody got underneath him, and as soon as they could, the bumpers cleared. He just turned left.

“And I was there, I was half a car length behind. So he comes right across the nose. Almost took me out. Tears the car up. And at the break I’m like, ‘You’re better than this. Don’t ever do that again. You got a mirror. Did you even look?’

“He goes, ‘No.’

“And he knew he had done something wrong. That’s how we were taught, your dad grabbed me by the collar a couple of times and said, ‘Hey, you’re doing this wrong.'”

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“And I was mad at Ernie because I love Ernie so much and I loved watching him racin’ and I’m such a big fan his now that I was so disappointed that he was driving like some of the other guys in the race. I said don’t be like them. You’re better than that. Yeah. And that’s what I was telling him during that break,” the SHR co-owner concluded.

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What happened between Stewart and Francis Junior?

At the South Boston Speedway’s Camping World SRX event last year, a classic short-track racing scenario unfolded on a Saturday, as drivers engaged in aggressive, full-contact racing, leading to heightened emotions among competitors.

In an extraordinary turn of events, series co-founder and 3x Cup Series champion Tony Stewart became notably enraged with Ernie Francis Jr, an Indy Lights driver, after the conclusion of the second heat race.

The root of Stewart’s anger could be traced back to an early incident in the second heat. Paul Tracy, who had been in the lead, was spun out by Helio Castroneves, causing chaos among the other racers as they scrambled to evade the whirling vehicle.

Amidst the confusion, Francis and Stewart’s cars collided. However, Stewart, unable to contain his frustration, stormed over to Francis, seizing the collar of his firesuit and vehemently expressing his dissatisfaction with the 24-year-old driver. Thankfully, after Stewart’s revelation, it was made clear, that he had no ill intention.

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