NASCAR Icon Tony Stewart Drops Basic One-Liner to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Emotional NHRA Reward

NASCAR legend and present NHRA Prime Gasoline dragster driver Tony Stewart isn’t one to fish for compliments. Nonetheless, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. just lately praised his NHRA achievements with real awe and admiration, the three-time NASCAR Cup champ couldn’t resist responding in basic Smoke model.

In an episode of Kevin Harvick’s Completely satisfied Hour podcast, Junior opened up a few current expertise that gave him an entire new appreciation for Stewart’s NHRA drag racing profession.

The NASCAR Corridor of Famer took Cleetus McFarland’s “Dale Truck” for a spin at Talladega Superspeedway, his first expertise of drag racing. After the wild journey, Dale Jr. described it as “insane” and “a soar scare.”

Tony Stewart Presents Dale Earnhardt Jr. a Basic Racer Problem within the NHRA

Talking on Harvick’s podcast concerning the expertise, Junior stated, “In like, two years, Tony Stewart has grow to be aggressive, profitable, and he goes twice as quick as this. I didn’t recognize it, what Tony had executed, yeah, as a lot as I did after I drove that truck. I used to be like, ‘That was quick!’ I can’t think about, I can’t think about what your physique goes by to go twice as quick in an eighth mile.”

Coming from the Pied Piper himself, it’s a praise to treasure.

“I love, I like Tony Stewart. He’s superior,” Earnhardt Jr. added. “Everyone knows that he kicks a**, however dang. I truthfully really feel like I actually didn’t put his NHRA profession anyplace close to the opposite issues that he’s executed in racing. However now I gotta say that I put it close to the highest. What he needed to undergo and what he needed to study proper, keen to place himself by that, holy moly.”

Reposting the podcast clip, Stewart appreciated Dale Jr.’s reward and thanked him. Stewart wrote on X, “Able to hop in, @DaleJr? Thanks for the type phrases my good friend.”

Able to hop in, @DaleJr?
Thanks for the type phrases my good friend. pic.twitter.com/IVrdfe97t4

— Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) June 18, 2025

Though Smoke’s reply was brief, it suits his trademark model. It struck the proper steadiness between his humble gratitude, laced with a really typical ‘Smoke’ problem. His reply to Junior was additionally that of a veteran NASCAR race automobile driver welcoming one other into the adrenaline-heavy world of drag racing after a couple of stints with the game.

Stewart, who owns the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) staff, started competing in NHRA occasions in 2022 after retiring from full-time NASCAR racing. He now races in Prime Gasoline after he crammed in for his spouse, Leah Pruett, who determined to take a break from the game to give attention to maternity and motherhood. The couple welcomed their first baby, Dominic James Stewart, late final 12 months.