“When you become a father, everything changes,” Tony Stewart says.
“It’s not just a shift—it’s a complete reset of what matters. I’ve spent my entire life chasing speed, living for the roar of the engine, the adrenaline, the glory of crossing that finish line first. I’ve won championships, broken records, raced against the best drivers this world has to offer. Every lap, every turn, every victory has meant something. But nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to the love I feel when I look at my son, Dominic.”
For Stewart, whose life has been defined by the racetrack, the arrival of his son turned a new page. Not just in his personal life, but in the way he now views the world and his place in it.
“People always said it would change me, and I used to laugh. I thought, ‘I’m Tony Stewart. I’ve been through the fire—literally and figuratively.’ I’ve had the highest highs and the lowest lows in this sport. I thought I knew what life was about. But the moment I held Dominic for the first time, I realized I didn’t know a damn thing about love before that.”
Stewart has never shied away from expressing emotion, but fatherhood has opened a softer, more grounded side of the fierce competitor.
“There’s a kind of happiness that comes with being a dad that’s hard to put into words. It’s not like winning Daytona or hoisting a trophy over your head. It’s quiet. It’s when he smiles for no reason, or when he grabs my finger with that tiny hand. It’s watching him sleep and realizing you’d do anything—anything—to protect that little life.”
He pauses, thoughtful. “Racing will always be part of who I am. It’s in my blood. But now, I think about what kind of man I want to be off the track too. I want Dominic to grow up knowing his dad wasn’t just a racer, but someone who cared, who showed up, who loved fiercely.”
The fire that made Stewart a legend hasn’t dimmed—it’s just found a new fuel.
“I’m still competitive. I still want to win. But now, when I climb into a car or walk into a meeting as Eldora’s CEO, I’m not just doing it for myself. I’m doing it for him. I want to build something that he can be proud of, whether or not he ever cares about racing. If he wants to be a driver one day, great. If not, that’s fine too. I just want to give him the kind of life that teaches him about commitment, passion, and love.”
Tony Stewart has always lived life in the fast lane. But fatherhood, he says, has taught him the joy of slowing down—if only to savor the moments that truly matter.
“Dominic changed everything,” Stewart says with a grin. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”