Tony Stewart once revealed his first official paycheck was $12.70

In a 2015 interview with USA Today, Tony Stewart opened up about his first official paycheck as a light and sound technician. He was in high school at the time, and apparently made about $12.70.

Born in 1971, Stewart made inroads with competitive go-karting and won his first championship in 1980. He later found success as the only driver to nab both IndyCar and NASCAR championships, but the veteran driver had humble roots as well.

When NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck asked Stewart about his first paycheck, the latter replied,

"My first official paycheck came from the Bartholomew County School Corporation. I worked at the school auditorium and it was like $12.70 for working a show."

He further clarified his position and said,

"Lighting and sound. I'd have been probably a junior in high school....It was just a job while I was in school. Actually, I'd had jobs before that, but that was the first job where I got an official paycheck."

Tony Stewart just completed his sophomore NHRA season, finishing fifth in the standings. Notably, he was the regular-season champion this year, and had also grabbed the Rookie of the Year honours last season.

He initially stepped in for his wife, Leah Pruett, but will compete against her in 2026, driving for Elite Motorsports. Pruett will continue with Tony Stewart Racing Nitro.

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When Tony Stewart revealed NASCAR's polar opposite solutions

Recent findings from NASCAR's antitrust lawsuit have revealed scathing remarks against Tony Stewart's now-disbanded racing series, SRX. NASCAR chiefs Steve Phelps and Steve O'Donnell shared text messages critical of Denny Hamlin's participation in the series.

Amidst the controversy, a 2018 interview between Stewart and Kyle Petty has resurfaced. Stewart opened up about a meeting with NASCAR chiefs and said,

"I remember 20 of us drivers went about five years ago, maybe six years ago, and sat with NASCAR and said, These are the things that we think will help make the sport better. And a person in NASCAR that I won't name sat there and looked me square in the eye and said that everything that we were talking about and what I was saying was 180 degrees backwards from what they thought was going to fix it."

Tony Stewart went on to share that that's when he knew the sport was in 'bad shape'. He had lost faith in NASCAR's leadership.

Stewart ended his tenure as a full-time driver in 2016, but remained as a team owner for Stewart-Haas Racing. However, he decided to shut down SHR in 2024, a year after SRX was disbanded. The racing series had a three-year stint with veteran drivers at the helm.

SHR, on the other hand, sold its charters to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.