8: Tony Stewart’s Psyche Out
Perhaps one of the best parts of watching NASCAR during the early 2000s was the rivalry between Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart. He told Men’s Health that the two would psyche each other out before a race. “Do I dislike Stewart? Not really. There’s never a mano-a-mano moment when one guy tries to con another. You run to the physical grip of the tire in the car all the time. That’s how you run the quickest lap you can run. You just try to get around him as fast as possible, while he does everything he can to keep from wrecking the car underneath him”.
Rivalries make the sport a lot better, and then as the drivers get older, a healthy friendship forms. Both of these drivers were some of the biggest marquees for NASCAR during this era. With a fair amount of crossover appeal, they were able to bring new fans into the sport.