What does it take for a legend to redefine his legacy after it’s already been written in gold? At a roaring drag track in Las Vegas in the spring of 2025, 53-year-old Tony Stewart got into a Top Fuel dragster, an 11,000-horsepower vehicle designed to hit 330 mph in less than four seconds. This was not a publicity stunt or an exhibition run. Smoke faced off against the most specialized and explosive discipline in motorsports, and he prevailed.

The three-time NASCAR Cup champion made fans rethink their ideals of excellence when they felt they had seen it all. This was the same man who, as a driver-owner in 2011, had one of the most successful playoff drives in NASCAR history, dominated short tracks in a USAC midget, and once dominated the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in an IndyCar. His list of accomplishments is already so extensive that ESPN once referred to him as “the most versatile driver of his generation.”

He recently added NHRA Top Fuel to that list. Not only was that victory momentous. Fans, competitors, and particularly those who had positioned Kyle Larson alone on the throne of flexibility found it to be humbling. The world was suddenly reminded by NASCAR’s long-retired outlaw that when it comes to performing the unimaginable in any vehicle with a steering wheel, four wheels and an engine… Smoke continues to rise.

Stewart didn’t have a happy ending when it came to his exit from NASCAR. Stewart Haas Racing had hit the lowest of lows, and he wanted to focus on his personal adventures more than shouldering the responsibility of a Cup Series team. He didn’t imagine being a rookie driver at the age of 52, replacing his wife, Leah Pruett, in the TSR Nitro dragster. But after a humbling 2024 season, he has silenced his critics. Above all, he added another racing series win under his belt. This triumph at the 4-Wide Nationals in Vegas is a testament to his talent and incredible ability to be competitive even after a dry patch.

This accomplishment, in turn, has ignited discussion within the racing community. A fan on Reddit posted, “Where does Tony Stewart rank on your all time driver’s list?” The response by the community was wholesome as they claimed that Smoke is running in a different lane altogether.

From Dirt to Dragstrips: Fans Reevaluate Tony Stewart’s Legacy 

Not just another feather in the crown, this one. This was a blow to the GOAT discussion. The overwhelming opinion now is that Tony Stewart is not just one of the most versatile racers in American motorsports history but possibly the most complete, as fans rush to compare him to today’s generational talents like Kyle Larson.

“Tony’s hard to rank against anybody,” one fan wrote, and that’s not an exaggeration. Between 1994 and 1995, he accomplished a feat that no other driver in history had accomplished: he won the Silver Crown, Sprint Car, and Midget titles all in one year. In grassroots racing circles, this extremely uncommon accomplishment is still revered. Stewart had already won an IndyCar championship by 1997. He won the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year award in 1999. Additionally, he added a Cup victory to his resume by 2002. And he was only getting started at this point.

“These are unbelievable achievements across very different types of motorsports. It’s impossible to rate top-tier drivers… but Tony is an all-time great racer,” the fan continued. To defeat Carl Edwards in a tiebreaker, Stewart won five of the season’s ten last races in 2011, writing one of the greatest championship runs in NASCAR history. He accomplished this with his own Stewart-Haas Racing team, no less, as a driver-owner. He has now placed an NHRA Top Fuel car—a wheeled rocket that can reach 330 mph in less than four seconds—into victory lane in 2025.

Stewart gained his fan base the old-fashioned way, by shaking hands and signing hats, before the championships and champagne showers. “Will never forget when he was making the jump from IRL to Cup… he was so accessible around his merch hauler. Chatting, signing autographs for hours. A true man of the people,” one fan recalled. IRL fans were witnessing a teenage Stewart create waves at Texas and Pikes Peak at breakneck speed back then. Not to forget, he got his nickname “Smoke” competing in the grassroots level, so there’s a special connection fans share with Stewart.

Many drivers have switched between different disciplines. A few individuals prosper. Fewer people prevail. Nearly none are dominant. “I’m biased, but this win puts him in a class all his own. He’s not the best in any one series, but he’s the most versatile driver in history,” one fan declared. It’s statistically backed, so it’s not just fan devotion. The only driver in history to win both NASCAR and IndyCar titles is Tony Stewart. He has driven World of Outlaws sprint cars, participated in the Indianapolis and Daytona 500s, and is now an expert driver of a Top Fuel dragster. The only driver that can be compared against Stewart’s might is perhaps A.J. Foyt.

A fan agreed with this particular sentiment, citing that although Kyle Larson is the most versatile driver right now, he has a tall task ahead of him to match Smoke’s achievements. “I know Larson still has many years of racing left in him and obviously could equal him when his career is said and done but right now they aren’t even close. AJ Foyt is probably the only guy you could directly compare to Tony Stewart and I think Tony has him beat.”

Not even those who dislike him can argue who he is. “Hated him with a passion when I was younger. Still hate the way he drove. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t one of the best drivers ever. Dude wins in everything with a steering wheel,” one fan admitted. That’s the paradox of Tony Stewart. Though he wasn’t always elegant—he had multiple outbursts of rage on pit road. We all remember that helmet throw on Matt Kenseth at Bristol, don’t we? And not to forget, his blunt yet entertaining press conferences added to his personality. Something that current star drivers lack completely.

And how can anyone forget the way Lewis Hamilton reacted during a seat swap event when Smoke attempted to cram himself into his Formula One cockpit? A common expression is “this guy really will try anything.” Tony Stewart didn’t need to win the NHRA. He was under no obligation to get into a Top Fuel vehicle. He was just a replacement driver for Leah Pruett, but this adventure added another star to his already illustrious racing career.