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When news first emerged earlier in the week that Tony Stewart was going to formally announce his retirement, it gave people lots of time to think what they might want to say when ol' Smoke officially told the world.

An old friend, very invested in racing of all types and having worked with Stewart for years, didn't need the time. His initial reaction was dead-on and reminded me why Stewart held a special place with American race fans.

“I really like Tony, with all his foibles, he’s just a damn racer at heart … certainly AJ Foyt’s spiritual son,” he said, showing a picture he took in the early 80’s at Oskaloosa, Iowa after a young Stewart won his first major driving championship (Junior Rookie Class) at the IKF Speedway Grandnationals at Raah Speedway. “I wish that open wheel racing had not become such a low-rent mess when he was in it (and still is by the way). I would have liked to see him win the 500.”

He doesn't stand alone in that belief. Stewart captured the eye of American open wheel fans, those who had memories of Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Rodger Ward, Al and Bobby Unser, Gordon Johncock, Rick Mears and other U.S. drivers taking the checkered flag at Indianapolis

Stewart, a racer from Indiana without deep pockets like many of his colleagues, captured the hearts of the old fan base. Winning the Indy Racing League title seemed only natural. However, the lack of funds at a time the series needed such competitors, sending him packing into NASCAR's open arms.

It was only a natural for such a natural driver. He won rookie of the year, thanks to three Cup victories, in a season and later added three driving championships. Along the way, he developed quite a reputation, for all sorts of actions, good and bad.

“Tony at times will do or say things that make our skin crawl.” the late Jim Hunter, a NASCAR vice present at the time, said in a rollicking 2008 interview in Rolling Stone about Stewart. “He's been an asshole at times.”

That, and his winning ways, were enough to make him a star in the sport. Although his last win came in 2013 – before a well-documented sprint crash in Iowa and a 2014 crash in another sprint car race that resulted in a fatality – at the time of his announcement, Stewart had posted 48 wins, good enough a tie for 13th on NASCAR's all-time win list.

“There is absolutely no question Stewart is one of the top-five stock-car racing drivers of all time and one of the most versatile NASCAR has ever seen,” said Darrell Waltrip, a Fox TV analyst. “He has won championships in the Cup Series, IndyCar Series, sprint cars and IROC.

“That versatility sets him apart from most anyone who has ever graced the cockpit of a stock car. Stewart is the epitome of a pure driver who only cares about racing. He doesn’t do it for the fame or the money but rather for the thrill and love of the competition.”

Anyway you look at it, that's quite an endorsement. Want further proof?

He was wooed away from Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing by Chevrolet, who paved the way for him to partner with Gene Haas and create Stewart Haas Racing. It was an unprecedented move, which demonstrated his value to the sport.

“Tony Stewart has been a key member of our racing family for nearly 20 years. The majority of his race wins and championships – regardless of series – have been with our brands,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports.

Again, a reference to the old days of win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

My friend, who can still recall lending Stewart a jacket he never got back, holds the same opinion as do Waltrip and Campbell.

“If you could hide one incident …,” he said, pausing to reflect on that tragic night in upstate New York that took the life of young Kevin Ward, “his racing record, the legacy left for the sport would be considered remarkable measured against any name anyone would care to mention.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

And that is troubling.