Tony Stewart's impact on racing recognized by World of Outlaws as NASCAR legend receives prestigious award

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Tony Stewart, recently received the 2024 Ted Johnson Award by the World of Outlaws for his outstanding contribution to racing.

The three-time Cup Series champion owns Tony Stewart Racing (TSR), a team which competes in dirt-track racing. Since its founding in 2000, the team has won 27 championships across USAC, World of Outlaws, and All Star Circuit series.

Stewart thanked World of Outlaws sprint car series in a post on X and wrote:

"Really honored to receive this award."

The 53-year-old also owns a half-mile dirt racing facility, Eldora Speedway, in Rossburg, Ohio.

The Ted Johnson Award is named after the series founder and recognizes remarkable contributions to the sport.

"Sprint car racing is my passion. It doesn't matter what I'm doing and what series I've ran in the past, my heart's always been with sprint car racing and it's always gonna be there," Stewart said.

Donny Schatz, the full-time No. 15 Ford driver for TSR, has won the World of Outlaws ten times. He finished the 2024 season in third place with six wins to his credit.

Stewart's NASCAR team closed operations after the end of the 2024 season. He now competes in the NHRA.

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Tony Stewart's NASCAR team closes after the final race in Phoenix

Tony Stewart joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as a co-owner in 2009. Earlier this year, the team announced it would close operations at the end of the season. SHR concluded its 16-year journey at the season’s final race in Phoenix last Sunday.

"It's been the ride of a lifetime to be part of this sport and to play a small role in entertaining you all. As we close this final lap, we want to say thank you. Your energy has been felt in each moment and mile. And we'll carry your support with us always,” a statement from SHR read.

This decision comes as NASCAR is fighting a lawsuit from two teams that alleged monopolist practices by the organization and its owners, the France family. Stewart discussed this on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast and reflected on how NASCAR has transformed over the years.

"I don't know that it's even bittersweet. It's more bitter than sweet, I feel like. It's a tough decision, but things in life change. Your priorities change, and variables outside of your control change as well," Stewart said.

Stewart-Haas Racing has 105 total wins, 70 in the Cup Series, 28 in the Xfinity Series, and one in the ARCA Menards Series West. Their big wins include popular races like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400, and Southern 500.