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Tony Stewart speaks with members of the media during NASCAR Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 12, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Stewart recently delivered a passionate defense of Kyle Busch while discussing the reaction to the NASCAR star's death.
Nearly a month after Kyle Busch’s death, Tony Stewart is still struggling with one part of the aftermath.
It’s not the memorials.
It’s not the tributes.
And it’s not the outpouring of support from across NASCAR.
It’s what Stewart believes those tributes reveal.
While speaking with reporters this week, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion delivered one of the most emotional and pointed reactions yet to the public response following Busch’s death, arguing that many of the same people now praising him never took the time to understand who he was while he was alive.
For Stewart, that reality remains difficult to accept.
Stewart didn’t hesitate when asked about the reaction that has come since Busch’s death.
“I guess the biggest thing in this tragedy that’s happened that pisses me off the most is that now everybody wants to talk about how he was as a person,” Stewart said.
For decades, Busch was one of NASCAR’s most polarizing figures.
Working on a Kyle Busch tribute piece, as this weekend marks the first NHRA race at a NASCAR facility since his passing. When I spoke with Tony Stewart, he expressed his displeasure with people who judged him solely on what they saw on TV. #NHRA #ThunderValleyNats @peakauto
He won races at a historic pace. He frustrated competitors. He embraced the role of villain when crowds booed him. And for much of his career, opinions about him were rarely neutral.
But Stewart believes many fans never looked beyond what they saw on Sundays.
“Outside of that, all they wanted to do is judge what they saw on TV,” Stewart continued. “It’s frustrating.”
The comments carried extra weight coming from Stewart, who spent years racing against Busch and later watching him evolve from NASCAR’s young agitator into one of the most respected veterans in the garage.
To Stewart, the version of Busch being celebrated today is the same version that existed all along.
The difference is that more people are finally paying attention.
As Stewart continued speaking, his frustration became even more apparent.
“That’s the way every one of us are judged by what they see on TV and then once you die, they want to talk about how good a person you were,” Stewart said. “That’s the part that pisses me off the most about it right now.”
He then delivered the line that has resonated throughout the racing world.
“Should’ve given him a chance to learn him as a person before they judged him in the first place.”
Since Busch’s death on May 21, story after story has emerged from competitors, crew members, team owners and friends describing acts of kindness that rarely made headlines.
Some recalled Busch helping younger drivers behind the scenes. Others remembered private conversations, mentorship, or support that never became public.
Stewart’s point was simple: those stories didn’t suddenly become true after Busch died.
They were always there.
Many people just never cared enough to look for them.
“So, right now, I don’t care about educating everybody about how Kyle Busch was,” Stewart said. “I know how Kyle Busch was.”
He then delivered his bluntest assessment of all.
“The fact that they all want to learn now, they’re the a-holes for not taking the time to learn him and accept him for who he was back then.”
In the weeks since Busch’s passing, NASCAR has honored him at tracks across the country.
Drivers have worn tribute decals. Fans have gathered at memorial displays. Former rivals have shared memories. Current stars have spoken openly about the influence Busch had on their careers.
For many, the tributes have highlighted a side of Busch that was often overshadowed by his fierce competitiveness and unapologetic personality.
Stewart isn’t criticizing those tributes.
If anything, he’s questioning why they took so long.
“You want to wait until a guy dies and then care about who he was as a person is the part that pisses me off about everybody.”
It was a raw answer. An uncomfortable answer.
But it was also an answer that reflected how deeply Busch’s loss continues to affect those who knew him best.
And for Stewart, the frustration remains rooted in one belief: the person being celebrated today is the same person many people spent years refusing to understand.
Maggie MacKenzie Maggie MacKenzie covers NASCAR for Heavy.com. She previously worked for NASCAR.com, where she reported, wrote, and edited race-weekend coverage and traveled to key events throughout the season. She has more than ten years of experience in sports media and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. More about Maggie MacKenzie
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