A Legend Born In Smoke

Rarely can you point to a singular moment and declare that history had been made. Even more rare is when said point can be recognized as transcending merely making history.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”245″][/media-credit]After nearly twenty years, the 1992 Hooters 500 finally has a rival in the discussion of the greatest NASCAR race of all time. While the storylines of that particular race are numerous and complex, there is but one story to the 2011 season finale at Homestead; the birth of the legend of Tony Stewart.

Often we use grandiose adjectives to describe the premier athletes in a sport. A unbelievable diving catch, a logic defying shot and a spectacular save at 200 mph all illicit responses of amazement and, quite often, over excitement. It is why so often we are consumed with the hype of an event and then find ourselves disappointment when the reality does not live up to it.

Individually they may be historic events, but in reality they are little more than just that.

Tony Stewart ascended into the realm of legends not just for his actions on the track in Miami, but for the actions leading up to the race itself. Prior to the 2011 NASCAR Chase of the Championship, few would argue that Stewart is one of the best drivers to ever wheel a stock car. An additional argument could successfully be made that Stewart is one of the best drivers in all of motorsports considering his lengthy list of accomplishments across multiple disciplines.

Heading into the Ford 400 he was merely a remarkable driver with nearly unmatched skills. A driver that was a threat to win virtually every week at any track. A man who was not only a NASCAR champion, but champion at virtually every vehicle he touched.

Few drivers can lay claim to the title of legend, and most have difficulty remembering a driver before they attained it. Each, in their own right, acquired it through a jaw dropping moment, or moments, that made everyone from the simple fan to the seasoned driver recognize that they are in the presence of someone special.

Dale Earnhardt, despite how glorified he is today, was merely an extremely good driver for the first part of his career. Many today forget that he went five years between his first and second championships, only cracking the top five in points once. He was a very successful driver mired in a sea of other successful drivers.

That would change during the 1987 Winston Cup season, personified in one specific event in May of that year. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Earnhardt had his transcending moment to NASCAR legend status with the misnomer “Pass In The Grass.”

That moment surmised everything that the term Intimidator stood for; an expression of sheer desire to win at all costs through driving ability which appears to exceeds the realm of mere mortals and the ability at any time to kick it into a fifth gear that most are unaware of. Earnhardt that day, and later in the season during the more aptly named “Pass in the Dirt” at Riverside, showed a confidence in his abilities that is as frightening to watch as it is astounding.

This is the line that Tony Stewart crossed at Homestead, only much like Earnhardt he did not cross it but more so obliterated it. In an era where it has been repeatedly shown that drivers have a clear advantage as the lead car, Stewart ignored that notion and did it his way over the final races of the year.

It seemingly did not matter if Stewart did not have the best car at Homestead or Texas or Phoenix, but his car had perhaps the best driver. Being able to not will a car to be the best is not simply enough, but being able to force it to be the best is the hallmark of a legendary driver.

The confidence Stewart showed over the final month of the season, while backing it up, is something every fan will be talking about years from now. It is akin to Babe Ruth calling his shot in the 1932 World Series, only if Ruth had to do so multiple times in the same game. It is something which is seen very rarely and as the months and years wear on we all will begin to appreciate how truly special it is.

Because no longer is Tony Stewart merely a three time Cup series champion.

No longer is he the only champion across multiple top level national touring series.

No longer is he the brash, successful driver that is feared week in and week out.

Today Tony Stewart is a living, breathing motorsports legend.

And if he is even acutely aware of this fact, than may we all pray for his competitors once Speedweeks 2012 begins a mere three months from now…