Tony Stewart’s 2013 sprint car crash left him with a shattered leg, 29 days in bed, and zero hot nurses. But it couldn’t take away his sense of humor. The three-time NASCAR champion transformed a gruesome injury into a masterclass in cheerfulness, holding court with reporters while recovering from a compound fracture that threatened his career.
From wheelchair-bound press conferences to scooter races around his shop, Stewart’s unflinching wit turned a grim chapter into one of NASCAR’s most memorable recovery stories. His secret is living life to the fullest — even if it means binge-watching Oprah between surgeries.
Tony Stewart’s Sprint Car Injury and Sarcastic Stitches
Stewart’s right leg snapped during an August 2013 sprint car race in Iowa when a lapped car spun into his path. The collision flipped his car, and a torque tube pierced his leg.
“I thought I must have just banged it against the frame rail or something, and it went numb. But when I looked down… (the bone) was way out. I knew at that point it was fairly serious,” Stewart told the media.
Confined to bed for weeks, Stewart faced an unexpected foe: boredom. “I’ve been lying in bed, watching Oprah,” he joked. “I’ll have all of my Christmas shopping done by next week.”
His only gripe? The lack of “one hot nurse” during recovery. Instead, business manager Eddie Jarvis became his caretaker.
“I thought surely three Cup championships, an IndyCar championship, winning the USAC triple crown, a national championship in ’94 — that I could get one hot nurse during this whole thing. And I got Eddie Jarvis to take care of me,” Stewart deadpanned.
But the injury tested even his resolve. “This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with,” he admitted, describing skin grafts and near-fainting spells during doctor visits. “I spend the rest of the time sitting there with a wet washcloth on my forehead, trying to regain consciousness.”
From Scooter Races to Daytona Comeback
Stewart’s recovery wasn’t all pain and Oprah. He hosted the “Rascal 500,” a scooter race around Stewart-Haas Racing’s engineering department.
“I’m proud to announce that after 21 days, I’m back in the winner’s circle and have not forgotten how to win races,” he declared after beating another SHR employee.
“Everything is going according to schedule and may actually be a little ahead of schedule. But if we get done early, we don’t have anything to gain by it. If we have a setback, we have a lot to lose by it,” Stewart said, targeting a February 2014 return.
His accident reignited debates about drivers racing outside NASCAR. Stewart had no regrets.
“Things happen every day, and you can’t guard against [difficulties] all the time. The thing is, you’ve got to live life. You can’t spend your whole life trying to guard against something happening,” he said during a press conference at SHR’s shop in 2013.
By Daytona 2014, Stewart was back, his leg fortified with titanium. The crash became just another bend in a career built on grit — and jokes.
