“We have shot ourselves in our foot as an industry”: Tony Stewart talks about how NASCAR racing has changed since 2016

Tony Stewart recently gave fascinating insights into the factors that affect racing in NASCAR. The 3x Cup Series champion delved into the details that influence the on-track action while addressing the recent rise in aggressive racing.

The NASCAR Hall of Famer has raced in the premier series over the millennium until as recently as 2016, seeing cars evolve through the years. According to him, tires are one major factor that is affecting the racing product in the series.

The Stewart-Haas Racing team owner recalled how the tires used to degrade quickly back in the day aiding drivers to overtake. He then argued that the current Goodyear tires do not fall off quickly, therefore, closing the pack.

With most of them running at the same pace over a stint, drivers are forced to pull off aggressive moves to overtake their rivals.

“That’s the hand they’re forced to race under that. I think in the scenarios we’re seeing and what we’re talking about with what drivers have infued with how they’re racing each other, if you’re gonna win, you’re gonna be forced into those situations because you don’t have a car that’s two-tenths or three-tenths better than somebody on a given day,” he said on SiriusXM NASCAR radio.

“We have shot ourselves in the foot as an industry complaining about races not being good because somebody won by 3, 4, or 5 seconds. We shot ourselves in the foot because we sat there and preached things are bad and NASCAR has done the best they can to tighten the field up as much as they can,” he added.

Tony Stewart doesn't put the blame on NASCAR for closing the pack with the next-gen car and the tires, as the governing body gave fans what they wanted.

Fellow Cup Series team co-owner and veteran driver Denny Hamlin agreed with Stewart's opinion, confirming the change in the racing product in NASCAR.

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Tony Stewart explains why NASCAR currently lacks celebrity drivers

Over the decades NASCAR was home to the biggest names in the racing scene, with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart himself being household names across America.

When asked about why there aren't such big names in the current grid, Stewart reasoned that fans don't associate with young drivers who are thrust into the limelight before living his/her life.

“I honestly think it’s because of how young everybody is in NASCAR. It’s like when an 18-year-old kid, when they’re trying to drive in the Truck Series as a 15-year-old, they can run at the short tracks,” he said on the Pat McAfee Show.

“So why are we putting 18-year-olds in these cars and expect fans to go, ‘That’s my guy’? The kid’s just got his damn diploma. He doesn’t have life experiences. He hasn’t had sleep in anybody’s car on the side of the road because he couldn’t afford a hotel room in between two nights of racing,” he concluded.

Tony Stewart had previously rallied to put a minimum age limit on professional racing.