Tony Stewart is not happy. The three-time Cup Series champion has been there and done that in the NASCAR world, but the direction in which the sport is evolving is leaving the veteran racer dissatisfied. This may go on to explain Stewart-Haas Racing’s shuttering down operations in the racing series, bringing an end to a team that was formed in 2002. Not one to sugarcoat his words, the Indiana native didn’t hold his thoughts back when sharing his thoughts about the France family.
Could there be merit in Stewart’s brutal criticism directed towards NASCAR? With no skin in the game, the veteran racer can say it like it is without fearing possible repercussions from the sanctioning body for his outspoken demeanour.
Tony Stewart goes on an unfiltered rant
Tony Stewart loves NASCAR. The racing series is where he truly became a household name, earning immense success, fame, and fortune after his stints at Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing. However, there is a clear distinction between the sport and its current leadership. The France family has made some controversial decisions in recent years that have not sat well with the former team owner, who hasn’t shied away from making his displeasure known in various interviews.
Speaking to Bubba Clem on the ‘The Bubba the Love Sponge Show’, Tony Stewart didn’t hold back on his frustration and said, “The thing I miss the most about NASCAR is the people. But the problem is, the people that I knew and a lot of them that you knew, literally got run out of the sport by NASCAR.” He went on to say that NASCAR is “A sport that I love, I just don’t like a lot of the decisions made in the direction they’re going and why they’re doing it and how they make decisions, penalties, this and that. It’s just like, I feel Bill France Jr. is flipping over multiple times in his grave right now, going, what the hell is going on.”
NASCAR received a lot of flak for the penalties and cautions called in just the first three races of the season. It started at the Daytona 500, where a last-lap wreck didn’t see a caution called, as William Byron swerved past everyone wrecking in front of him to unexpectedly win the race. Then, at Atlanta, NASCAR decided to call a caution when the wreck was behind the leaders, denying fans a three-wide finish between Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and Carson Hocevar. The cherry on top was their decision not to suspend Austin Cindric for right rear hooking Ty Dillon at COTA, which sent shockwaves throughout the Cup Series grid.
Tony Stewart on NASCAR “I don’t like the direction they went, I still love the sport” Do you agree with Tony here? What can NASCAR do to improve things? #tonystewart #NASCAR #racing pic.twitter.com/nuHYkRE47d
— Bubba The Love Sponge®️ (@TheBubbaArmy) March 6, 2025
However, Tony Stewart’s tirade didn’t end there. Stewart went on to reveal that “NASCAR and I definitely don’t see eye to eye” and “Brian France is one of the worst things that ever happened to NASCAR.” The veteran racer’s strong feelings against the sport’s hierarchy stems from the fact that many experienced professionals that he knew were offered the difficult choice between taking a severance package or risking unemployment. These changes forced many industry veterans to leave the sport for good, resulting in mass layoffs from NASCAR in 2024.
Last year, Tony Stewart and Gene Haas made the difficult decision to shut down Stewart-Haas Racing for good, after expressing that competing in the sport was “incredibly demanding”, requiring “unwavering commitment and vast resources” to achieve success. However, one can’t help but feel that SHR would have remained operational if NASCAR provided more financial support to its teams to create a sustainable and thriving ecosystem.
Despite his scathing criticism of the NASCAR leadership, Tony Stewart believes that there are some positives for the sport as well.
Stewart hails NASCAR’s growth in attracting international talent
With other disciplines such as Formula 1 and IndyCar attracting international talent, the Indiana native felt that it was only a matter of time before the stock car racing series follows suit, and that’s exactly what has happened. The inclusion of international drivers not only raises the profile of the sport beyond American borders but also improves the level of competition and widens the talent pool.
Sharing his thoughts about getting foreign drivers in the Cup Series, Tony Stewart candidly said, “The sport’s here for a great reason. Showcasing great drivers from the United States, and now you’re getting SVG [Shane van Gisbergen] coming over from Australia, New Zealand, and you’re getting, you know, Daniel Suarez from Mexico coming here. I love having international drivers in the mix. It just keeps bringing more popularity into it.”
These two drivers have brought an international flair to NASCAR at Trackhouse Racing. SVG is a three-time Supercars champion and made a splash during his Cup Series debut, winning the Chicago Street Race in 2023. Mexico native Daniel Suarez was involved in the closest finish in NASCAR history, with just 0.001 seconds separating himself and Ryan Blaney at Atlanta Motor Speedway last year.
If NASCAR aims to grow and become a global motorsports competition, it will need to set its sights beyond the continental United States. The upcoming race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City is a step in the right direction, but the sanctioning body will need to potentially explore Asia, the Middle East, or even Europe to expand its market. Not only will this attract more talent into the sport, but it will also create a better product, resulting in more investment and sponsorship opportunities in the long run. If NASCAR does continue to expand, and if Brian France eventually leaves the sport, do you think there is a chance we’ll see Smoke back on the Cup Series grid? Let us know in the comments!
The post Tony Stewart Launches Brutal Criticism at France Family Member as NASCAR Leaves Bill France Jr. ‘Flipping in His Grave’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
