This Ain’t Racing Anymore”: Tony Stewart and Shirley Muldowney Speak Out
Racing legends don’t just disappear. Some retire quietly. Others speak their minds. Tony Stewart and Shirley Muldowney belong to the second group.
Recently, the two icons sat down for a rare and powerful conversation about the state of modern motorsports. What came out of it wasn’t sugarcoated. It was raw, honest, and exactly what many old-school fans have been thinking for years.
Tony Stewart, known for his aggressive style and refusal to conform, didn’t hold back. He spoke about how racing today has become more about appearances than passion. According to him, the grit and edge that once defined the sport is being replaced by corporate polish and media training.
“It doesn’t feel like racing anymore,” Stewart said. “It feels like a product. Everyone’s too careful, too quiet, too focused on staying marketable. That’s not how we built this.”
Shirley Muldowney, the trailblazer who broke barriers as the first woman to win a major drag racing championship, echoed Stewart’s frustrations. Her success in the male-dominated world of NHRA drag racing wasn’t given to her. It was fought for, against doubters, critics, and even governing bodies. She brought that same directness to this conversation.
“Back then, you didn’t have a team of handlers or sponsors shaping your image. You just got in the car and proved yourself,” Muldowney said. “Now it’s like watching a reality show with race cars. It’s entertainment first, competition second.”
Their words struck a chord with longtime racing fans who remember when the sport was less about algorithms and sponsorship deals and more about the personalities behind the wheel. Fans are tired of watching sanitized driver interviews and brand-friendly drama. What they want is authenticity. And that’s exactly what Stewart and Muldowney delivered.
Stewart has always carried a reputation for speaking plainly. As a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and a team owner, he knows the sport from both sides. He doesn’t criticize from the outside. He’s been part of the machine, and he sees how it has changed.
“You’ve got drivers who’ve never turned a wrench in their lives,” Stewart said. “They come through development programs, they’ve got social media coaches before they’ve even won a race, and they’ve never faced real adversity in a car. It shows.”
Muldowney agreed. Her own career was built on mechanical know-how, survival instinct, and unmatched talent. She won races not because she was given a platform, but because she earned it in the face of resistance.
“Today’s young drivers are talented, no doubt,” she said. “But the connection to the roots of racing is gone. It’s all about image now. I’m not sure how long that will last when the fans start tuning out.”
The most striking part of their conversation wasn’t the criticism. It was the underlying concern for where the sport is headed. Neither Stewart nor Muldowney are out to tear down the next generation. But they are warning that something essential is being lost in the process of modernizing the sport.
They both expressed hope that racing can rediscover its identity. That the next wave of drivers will bring heart and personality back to the forefront. That the sport can still value the kind of fire that once made it unforgettable.
Racing isn’t dead. But if it wants to stay alive in the hearts of true fans, it has to find its way back to what made it special in the first place.
For now, fans are responding. Comments and shares have flooded in from across the country, many saying the same thing: “Finally, someone said it.”
Read the full story and hear what Stewart and Muldowney really said. It’s not just a conversation. It’s a wake-up call.