Tony Stewart is one of America’s greatest racecar drivers… arguably. His versatility across the many motorsports series he dominated during his prime years made Stewart extremely popular among fans. While his NASCAR records might fall a little short when compared to some of the more legendary drivers, the spectrum of series he has run makes him the ‘Greatest of All Time’ for many. As he prepares for a major return to the Truck Series at Daytona, the debate has reignited.

Tony Stewart: Simply the best?

Stewart was more than just popular. As the younger generation would say, he was ‘aura farming’ before it was a thing. It’s not just about his NASCAR run and the three Cup Series championships he clinched. His skills extended far beyond just racing and owning a team.

Tony Stewart proved himself, time and again, that he was one of the greatest. His runs in all three premier NASCAR series, the 1997 IndyCar title, and the 2006 IROC title speak for themselves.

When everyone thought he was finally done with racing after retiring from NASCAR at the end of 2016, Stewart found himself in a new place. He became a strong contender in the NHRA, running as a team owner. Replacing his wife, Leah Pruett, in the series, Tony Stewart proved his adaptability. Despite having raced stock cars for the largest part of his racing career, he learned all there was to know about drag racing and became the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year. This was then followed by his first Top Fuel Wally in 2025 and the Top Fuel Regular-Season Championship.

There is a lot more than just NASCAR that defies Stewart’s racing curve. The fact that he dominates every series he races in has always resonated with fans. So much so that many end up calling him one of the greatest. However, that is a debate for the decade. But as he prepares to return to Daytona (for the first time in a Truck), the debate has reignited, and fans have strong opinions on social media.

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Stewart’s GOAT debate reignites on social media

“Nobody has a greater record of success across so many different vehicles, series, and track types.” As mentioned, it’s Tony Stewart’s incredible versatility that has always impressed the fans. No matter what he’s behind the wheel of, Stewart will manage to put that into first place sooner or later. He also proved this in the Truck Series, winning two out of the six races he ran decades ago.

Yet, some feel that he might not be the “greatest” driver of all time, as many label him. While they don’t seem to hate him, they would rather present a statistical analysis of his overall performance compared with other dominant drivers throughout history.

“Diverse? Yes. Best? No. Gordon, Earnhardt, and Johnson were leagues better,” read a comment. “He is my all-time favorite, and one of the best, but no. No, he is not The Greatest,” wrote another fan.

Tony Stewart still has one of the biggest fan bases in NASCAR’s history. While some seem to be pointing out the drivers that were statistically better than him, others seem to be comparing his charismatic personality to that of the earlier drivers, which many claim is a major missing link in the current generation of NASCAR drivers: “Stewart was the last of the old school drivers in NASCAR. He spoke his mind and had a rough yet charismatic personality. He reminded me of drivers like AJ Foyt, Cale Yarborough, and even Dale Earnhardt in the way he raced and carried himself.”

At the same time, however, the GOAT debate doesn’t seem to settle. While many fans don’t mean to demean any of the other drivers, they are simply too dedicated to Stewart. “I’d have to say yes. No disrespect to some other legendary names up there, but we’ve never seen anyone not just race, but win both races AND CHAMPIONSHIPS in as wide a variety of disciplines as Smoke.”

Some also point out at him being a generational talent: “Generational talent. Stewart can and will win in anything. He’s proven it time and time again. He may not be the best at any one thing, but he will be right there in the running with the best in whatever seat he’s in.”

While this debate doesn’t seem to have an end, facts are facts. Tony Stewart is one of the most adaptable and versatile drivers that NASCAR has ever had. His many championships are a testament to his skills.