Tony Stewart strikes heckler after sprint car race in Minnesota
NASCAR Hall of Fame-bound Tony Stewart was involved in a physical altercation with a race fan over the weekend.
Stewart, who was recently elected a member of the Class of 2020 of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, competed in an All-Star Circuit of Champions winged sprint car event last Friday night at Jackson (Minn.) Motorplex – a series that Stewart owns.
Stewart, however, blew an engine at the start of the main feature and ended up credited with last place.
In the garage and pit area after the race, Stewart was continuously heckled by a fan. At first, he ignored the man, but after he persisted with more insults, Stewart took off after the guy, followed him around a pickup truck and appeared to throw a punch at his head.
The two were then separated by other fans that were present.
A video of the incident has been posted on YouTube.
(Warning: Contains profane language and violent behavior)
Following the incident, Stewart returned to signing autographs for fans. Reports say he was seen icing his hand.
On Sunday night, Stewart drove to victory at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, where he held off dirt stars Rico Abreu and Christopher Bell to take the win.
When first contacted about the incident by Motorsport.com, Stewart-Haas Racing officials said they had no official comment and were looking into what transpired.
Stewart, 48, retired from fulltime NASCAR competition following the 2016 season. During his career, he won three Cup series championships, including 49 Cup series races. He is also a former IndyCar Series champion.
Daniel Hemric: PJ1 "definitely gave you options" at Pocono
Denny Hamlin still a contender in an 'old man's sport'
Alex Bowman to miss Talladega Cup race with concussion
Alex Bowman is now the second NASCAR Cup Series driver this season to miss a race with concussion-like symptoms.
2022 NASCAR at Talladega - Start time, how to watch, schedule & more
The final superspeedway race of the year is just days away now as NASCAR returns to the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway.
Rodney Childers: 600 races as Cup crew chief "kind of crazy"
Rodney Childers always believed he had what it took to succeed in NASCAR’s top series but his initial take was it would be as a driver.
Conor Daly to make NASCAR Cup debut at Charlotte Roval
IndyCar Series driver Conor Daly, who has made a handful of starts in NASCAR, will make his Cup Series debut next weekend at the Charlotte Roval.
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his teammate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major engine overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars.
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, but his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines...
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes