While Tony Stewart‘s drivers, including the rookie Josh Berry, are making waves in the cup races, the Smoke himself is on a mission to nab his first top-fuel victory. Following in the tracks of his dad, Nelson Stewart, he’s keeping the family racing flame alive, diving into all sorts of motorsport adventures, including NHRA, and stepping in for his wife Leah Pruett. And, not leaving any chance, he’s quick to tip his hat to his dad for all the support. In a touching tribute on social media for his dad’s 87th birthday, Tony Stewart shared just how much his father’s backing has meant to him on this wild ride.

Tony Stewart sure knows how to rib his dad, but he doesn’t hold back on the praise either

When Nelson Stewart got a bit curious about diving into NHRA drag racing himself, wondering if he could handle a Super Comp car, Tony was quick with a wisecrack. As soon as his dad popped the question, “Can I learn [running a super comp car]?” Tony shot back, “I mean, hell, they can teach a monkey to fly a spaceship, so yeah, probably,” That quip had everyone cracking up.

But all jokes aside, Tony holds his dad in high esteem. Celebrating his father’s birthday on social media, the Stewart-Haas Racing boss didn’t skimp on the compliments, saying, “Happy birthday, dad. Thank you for all your support over the years and showing us all how to be a bada** racer.”

In fact, Tony Stewart has always been upfront about the massive impact his dad has had on both his life and his racing career. Just last year, in an interview, Tony laid out, “If my dad’s an example of what the rest of my life is gonna be like, we’ll be fine. He’s 85 and still racing a 3-quarter midget. So I still go race with him a couple of nights a year with the TQ series in Indiana. […] I use my dad as an example. Like if we told him he couldn’t race anymore, he’d go downhill immediately but he’s energetic. He’s got a goal. He’s passionate about it and he loves what he’s doing so it’s kind of the path I’m taking.”

It turns out that Nelson Stewart isn’t just a hero to his legendary son; the whole racing world’s got a soft spot for him. When Tony Stewart shared a birthday shout-out for his dad, the racing community was quick to join in, sending loads of love and birthday cheers Nelson Stewart’s way.

The motorsports community wished Papa Stewart a happy birthday

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The motorsports world jumped into the comments to send their best to Nelson Stewart. Antron Brown, a star in American motorsports, dropped a “Happy birthday pops 🔥.” 

IndyCar’s own Casey Mears chimed in with a show of respect, “👊🏻🤙🏻👍🏻 good dude,” while Rutledge Wood, known for his NASCAR insights, wished, “Happy Birthday !”

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Tony’s fans also poured in their affection, with comments like “Your dad is very nice” and “Wow, he looks great! I bet he is ticked pink you are running 1/4 mile !” 

The birthday love kept rolling in, with fans saying, “Happy happy birthday Papa Smoke,” “Happy Birthday to a Great Dad who I’m sure put Tony first in supporting his career starting at a young age,” “Happy birthday, Nelson!!! The Starr Family loves you!!!,” and “A family that races together stays together.”

Here’s hoping Tony Stewart can notch his first NHRA race win soon, bringing another smile to his dad’s face, and making hs family and fans more proud.