Tony Stewart, 53, who recently became a father, says the scariest part of fatherhood is the thought of changing his baby’s diaper.
Stewart has faced plenty of challenges in his life, from the intense pressure behind the wheel to heated post-race confrontations. He has never backed down from those moments, but there’s one thing he’s ready to run from.
During a press conference Friday before the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway, Stewart said, “I’ve watched [someone] pull the diaper down, and I’ve seen what’s in there, and I immediately exit stage right.”
Tony Stewart Faces a New Challenge in Fatherhood
Stewart and Leah Pruett welcomed their first child, a son, Dominic James Stewart, in November. As Stewart prepares for his second full-time season on the NHRA Top Fuel circuit, Pruett has been fully focused on their baby boy.
Asked about helping Pruett with their newborn, Stewart said, “I have told her I am ready in the right situation. So I would say keep tuned to social media because I will make sure the world knows when I change my first one.”
He added, “I’m ready for this. I’m probably more scared about changing this first diaper than I was lining up against Justin Ashley in the first round [of my Top Fuel debut at Gainesville last year]. I never thought I would say this, but I’m kind of looking forward to this a little bit because I feel like it’s a rite of passage as a father.
“So it is coming, and I’m planning and psychologically getting my mind in the right frame to do this. So I’m going to have to commit to this, but once we do the first one, [it’ll] be fine.”
Stewart is a three-time NASCAR Series Cup winner, taking home the top spot in 2002, 2005, and 2011. Perhaps more impressively, Stewart is the only driver in history to win a championship in both IndyCar and NASCAR. He even managed to take home three different NASCAR wins with three different engine manufactures (Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Toyota).
Clearly, Stewart is fearless behind the wheel of nearly any car. Just don’t ask him to get near any Pampers.
