Tony Stewart Racing, a Brownsburg, Indiana-based race team owned by 3X NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, has reflected on the untimely demise of firefighter and EMT Billy Hurt while responding to an on-track incident at Kennedale Speedway on Saturday, March 14. Safety official Jerry Myers, who was also involved in the accident, made it through and is now in stable condition and recovering from his injuries.

For more than 23 years, Hurt had been involved in rescuing sprint car drivers with the American Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, Tulsa Shootout, and Chili Bowl Nationals. He had been a firefighter since 1982, mentoring several firefighters across the State of Missouri as an extrication expert.

Remembering Hurt, Tony Stewart Racing on X wrote,

“Our hearts are with our friends at World Racing Group, the @ASCSRacing & @WorldofOutlaws series. Please keep the families of Billy Hurt, Jerry Myers and the entire WRG team following the tragedy in Texas on Saturday. Sprint Car racing is a small world… but we’re a tight-knit group. We all hurt when tragedy rears its ugly head. Hug your people and never forget what our safety teams provide for us every night at the track….The chance to do what we love.”

According to the Kennedale Police Department, the tragic accident took place at around 9 pm at the Texas-based racetrack. The news was first announced by the Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055 on Sunday. It also stated that Billy Hurt was a retired member of the Columbia Fire Department.

Reacting to Hurt’s death, Columbia Professional Firefighters’ President Zack Privette said in a statement

“Billy was proud to be a public servant. He enjoyed his job. He always came to work with a smile on his face. He was never down and out. He showed up. He did his job and he was really good at it. He did it with an attitude that people wanted to work with him.”

TSR owner Tony Stewart opens up about racing his wife for the first time at NHRA Gatornationals

Tony Stewart’s better half, Leah Pruett, is back in her TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel dragster for the 2026 season, following a hiatus that lasted two whole years. The break was due to the fact that Pruett gave birth to her first child with Stewart, a son they named Dominic, on November 17, 2024.

During the period when Pruett was not able to race, Stewart filled in for her. He even bagged his first Top Fuel event last year, made P2 in points, and won the Top Fuel regular season championship. However, with Pruett being back, Stewart took his business to Elite Motorsports to drive their Top Fuel dragster.

Now, it has resulted in head-to-head competition between Tony Stewart and his wife, who is also an 18-time NHRA winner, including 12 wins in the Top Fuel class.

“I’m going to go race,” Tony Stewart said in a statement. “I don’t care if it’s her or anyone else, and it’s no disrespect to her. I love her to death. We’re going to race each other at some point, and it’s going to be great for you guys, but it doesn’t do anything for me personally.”

The AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway was the first race of the 2026 NHRA season, and also the first-ever NHRA event that witnessed Stewart going up against his wife. It was held between March 5 and 8, and televised on NHRA.tv.