RELATED: Competitors pay tribute to Stewart
LAS VEGAS — For a guy known for his sharp wit and bold attitude, Tony Stewart was decidedly more reflective and humbled on his last official night as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.
The entire NASCAR industry celebrated the three-time premier series champion at Friday night’s Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas with video honors and nods from the speaker podium, from team owners and fellow drivers.
A surprise appearance and tribute from Eddie Vedder, the frontman of Pearl Jam, clearly caught Stewart off guard, however.
“I’m Tony’s surprise,” Vedder said, smiling.
So many praised the “retiring” 49-race winner for his massive ability behind the wheel. Vedder came on stage to also speak about Stewart’s impact away from the race track, the money he has donated to various charities, the time he has spent visiting with sick children.
It’s truly a toss-up as to which legacy Stewart will most be celebrated for.
In his honor, drivers, owners and team members surprised the champ with a $1.8 million donation in Stewart’s name to the EB Research Partnership, a global non-profit co-founded by Vedder and dedicated to curing EB or Epidermolysis Bullosa, which is a devastating skin disorder affecting children.
“I did play a role in the donation and I knew Eddie would be here,” said Jimmie Johnson, who was crowned a seven-time premier series champion later in the evening. “Being as close to Tony and his whole group of people, I felt pretty honored to be one of just a handful of people that knew what was going on. We were convinced we were going to get tears out of Stewart for once, but nothing. He composed himself pretty well.
“He just kept smiling bigger and bigger, and maybe that was the best.”
From the stage during his championship acceptance speech, Johnson smiled at Stewart and said, “Don’t grow up. We all want to be more like you.”
A day earlier, Stewart’s racing hero, the legendary A.J. Foyt, surprised him at NASCAR’s After The Lap event featuring the 16 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. The friends spent nearly two hours catching up backstage once Stewart’s appreciative shock wore off.
Stewart’s No. 14 is a nod to Foyt’s car number and during his speech Friday — following a lengthy standing ovation — Stewart offered his hero a message.
“I’m most honored that you’re my friend,” Stewart said.
For a driver who won 49 premier series races as a hard-nosed, aggressive competitor, known for losing his temper occasionally and “telling it straight” always, Stewart was calm and appreciative Friday night.
He conceded he was moved by both Vedder’s appearance and the staggering sum his friends in the industry donated on his behalf.
His NASCAR racing time is done, but there’s still a lot Stewart expects to do.
He is merely turning in a different direction.
“I’ve said it all along, the reason this isn’t a big deal is because I’ll be around,” Stewart said. “I’ll just have a different role. If I was retiring and walking away from the sport, I’d be a lot more emotional. I’m just changing roles.
“It’s been a helluva journey, and I haven’t retired from anything.”