Tony Stewart was never one to back down, on the track or off it. Known for his fiery temperament and no-nonsense attitude, “Smoke” built a reputation as NASCAR’s tough guy, willing to throw fists and speak his mind without a second thought. Who could forget his helmet-hurling moment at Matt Kenseth in Bristol in 2012, or the time he got into a heated shoving match with Joey Logano at Fontana in 2013?

Stewart didn’t just race hard. He lived hard, and that passion often boiled over the pit wall. But sometimes, that fire wasn’t aimed at a rival. Instead, it was pointed at one of his own people. One unforgettable moment from his time at Stewart-Haas Racing nearly cost someone their job… and it all started with a misunderstanding and a very unfortunate grab.

Tony Stewart has a history of retaliation

Tony Stewart’s run-ins with fellow drivers are well documented. Be it him reaching through Kenny Irwin’s car window and throwing his heat shields at him at Martinsville Speedway in October 1999. Or, him going after Robby Gordon on the track and in the garage during Speedweeks. The incidents are endless! When tempers flare, Smoke lets it rip loud, physical, and in your face.

Well, that wasn’t the only time Stewart nearly crossed a line. On a recent episode of The Chaz podcast, the three-time Cup champion revealed how he almost fired a crew member from his own team. The offense? Getting involved in a pit road scuffle without permission. And the twist? It involved none other than Danica Patrick’s fuel guy at Stewart-Haas Racing.

“I about fired one of Danica Patrick’s fuel guys,” Stewart recalled. The moment happened during a tense situation in front of Patrick’s pit box. “He grabbed me by the back of my uniform, picked me up like that, and pulled me away.” The guy was no slouch, either. “This guy’s big enough to beat my a– by himself,” Stewart admitted, emphasizing just how intimidating the crew member looked. But size didn’t matter to Stewart

“Unless I’m getting my a– whipped, you never grab me out of that again,” Stewart told him bluntly. “That’s how you get fired from this organization,” he stated without flinching. It was classic Tony, laying down the law, consequences and all, with no sugarcoating. Even when the fists weren’t flying, his message still hit like a punch.

He’s also shown a flair for getting into it with folks who work off the track. Remember back in 2002, when Stewart punched a photographer after the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Well, the altercation earned him a $10,000 fine and two years of anger management oversight from NASCAR. It was a snapshot (literally) of Stewart’s no-nonsense persona.

“You finally made it, kid” – Dale Earnhardt’s iconic advice to Tony Stewart’s outlook

Tony Stewart was no stranger to fiery run-ins, and his scrap with Kenny Irwin Jr. at Martinsville proved that. But what followed the next week hit differently. During driver intros, he was greeted by something he hadn’t experienced before: a mix of boos and cheers. For once, Stewart wasn’t sure how to feel, and it rattled him.

After the intros, Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Sr. rode together in the parade lap truck. Stewart, visibly shaken, admitted, “Man, I’ve never been booed before.” Earnhardt chuckled, knowing exactly what was going on in Tony’s head. That moment wasn’t about embarrassment. Instead, it was a rite of passage in the high-stakes world of NASCAR fame.

Earnhardt broke it down like only The Intimidator could. “Well, who went after you?” Dale asked. Stewart named a driver. “What did the crowd do?” “Nothing,” Stewart replied. “Exactly,” Dale said. His point? Silence is apathy. But when fans react (good or bad), you’ve made an impression. And in NASCAR, that’s gold.

Dale pointed out the obvious truth in the noise. “What happened when I went across?” he asked. “Half of them cheered, half booed.” The same thing happened when Stewart went. Earnhardt’s lesson? “Even the ones that don’t like you care enough to respond.” And that, he said, was how you know you’ve made it.

For Stewart, that conversation became a turning point. The boos no longer felt like rejection. Rather, now, they felt like recognition. Dale Sr.’s wisdom turned a demoralizing moment into a badge of honor. In a sport fueled by passion, attention means relevance. And in that seemingly normal truck ride, Stewart finally understood what it meant to be somebody in NASCAR.