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Stewart Goes Out With Class

On Championship stage, Stewart is shown holding the helmet gifted to him by Jimmie Johnson, who stands immediately behind Stewart, who is being interviewed by NBC's Krista Voda. [Joe Jennings Photo]

On Championship stage, Stewart is shown holding the helmet gifted to him by Jimmie Johnson, who stands immediately behind Stewart, who is being interviewed by NBC’s Krista Voda. [Joe Jennings Photo]

By Joe Jennings

HOMESTEAD, FLA. – On any given day, one never knows how Tony Stewart will conduct himself, but with the spotlight on him for his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finale, he did it with class to the delight of the sellout crowd and national television audience.

During pre-race ceremonies, the three-time champion received a special introduction and when the cars were lined up, his Mobil-1 Chevrolet was parked at the end of the line in a cordoned off area, so his well-wishers could wish him well.

Once the cars took to the track, a vehicle towing a huge tribute banner led the parade. By plan, Stewart then pulled to the front of the field in a special lap of honor.

Starting 11th, Stewart had supposedly wished for a top-10 finish but that didn’t happen, as he ended up 22nd, one lap behind his friend and newly crowned champion Jimmie Johnson. While he didn’t get the finish he wanted, he accepted the outcome with dignity.

Asked to comment about his career and Jimmie Johnson’s championship, he said, “I’m proud. It’s been an awesome 21 years racing in NASCAR with the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series. That is really cool to see that No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson) up there making history. Now we’ve got three guys in the seven win club. It is a pretty proud day; I was glad I got to race with him on the day he got his seventh.”

As for the race itself, Stewart commented, “I did what I do every time I get in the car. I didn’t think of anything else other than just racing the race. We got behind there and we tried something to make ground and got caught out and had to run 60 laps on a set of tires. At the end the line-up was, let’s say confusing. I was still screaming about that just like I would on any other race. I was true to form all the way to the end.”

Regarding the day, he reflected, “It’s still hard to digest it all right now. The whole day was awesome. You couldn’t ask for it to be a better day.”

And as for leading the field for that tribute lap, he called it humbling. “I’ve said all year I just want to be one of the guys racing. To be put out there it’s an honor, but it’s humbling at the same time.”

The day after his last run, he’s off on an annual off-road 4-wheeler trip and after that, he is non-committal, except to say it won’t be too long before he climbs into a race car, presumably on dirt.

A major highlight to his day was the toasts from his peers. “Probably the coolest thing about the day was coming down pit road and high fiving all those guys. It made me think back to the moment when Dale, Sr. won the Daytona 500. It was just an awesome moment. It made me feel good because those are guys that like us and we have mutual respect for each other.”

No stranger to the championship stage, Stewart greeted Johnson warmly during post-race ceremonies and knowing Stewart’s passion for helmet collecting, Johnson pulled his helmet out of the winning car and handed it over to the retiring NASCAR star.

In the end, fans saw two champions showing deep respect for each other and doing it up with class. Two future Hall of Famers were clearly showing their credentials for the world to see.

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