Although Tony Stewart‘s name is often associated with controversies and instances of his fiery personality being on display, the former driver is famous for much more than that.
Stewart is one of the most versatile drivers in motorsports. Be it open-wheel racing, stock car racing, or Top Fuel Dragsters, he has aced it all. Many deem Stewart to be the G.O.A.T., and the NASCAR Hall of Famer has all the necessary credentials to prove them right.
Apart from his many achievements on paper, Stewart was also known for being one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR. However, a horrific crash in 2013 ended Stewart’s long-standing streak.
The Crash That Ended Tony Stewart’s Long-Standing NASCAR Cup Series Streak
With three NASCAR championships, Stewart was one of the most formidable drivers every time he raced on the track. Besides, he was given the title of NASCAR’s ‘Bad Boy’ for good reason. His aggressive and dominant racing style made him a fierce opponent who meant serious business.
Stewart made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1999 at the Daytona 500, driving the No. 19 Pontiac for Joe Gibbs Racing. For the next 14 years, he started in every NASCAR race.
His streak of 521 consecutive starts was one of the longest in NASCAR up until that point. However, his sprint car race at Southern Iowa Speedway on Aug. 5, 2013, ended that streak.
With only five laps remaining, Stewart was in the lead in his 360-winged car when he was coming off turn 4. However, right after he maneuvered, he wrecked with Josh Higday and flipped thrice before halting. While this caused a multi-car, Stewart sustained some serious injuries.
Stewart’s triple flip ended up costing him a broken right tibia and fibula. The two injuries in his right leg, which were classified as Grade II, were only fixed after two surgeries, where he ended up with a metal rod in his right tibia.
A little while after the incident, when Stewart was in a more stable condition, he posted online, “I told someone to go get my phone, or else I was going to get up and get it myself. I finally got reconnected to the world, and I just want to say thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. My team will remain strong, and I will be back.”
The injury also meant a long recovery period and missing the rest of the season. In the aftermath, Stewart was unable to race in the next 15 NASCAR Cup Series races, ending his streak of 521 consecutive starts.
In his absence, several drivers covered for Stewart, including Max Papis, Austin Dillon, and NASCAR legend Mark Martin.
There are several drivers ahead of Stewart in the list of most consecutive Cup Series starts, with Jeff Gordon topping the chart at 797.