Not many drivers, if at all, can say they snagged a pole position away from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and passed Kyle Busch for lead in the closing laps to win a race, all in the same weekend.

But that’s exactly what Stenhouse did at the 2.66-mile track. 

“I was messing with Junior before the race and told him that I was a little nervous going out on the Boulevard (Saturday night) after taking that pole away from him,” Stenhouse said. “But I think I gained a lot of fans taking a win away from the No. 18, I’m just guessing. But no, all in all, man, it was a huge day for us, huge weekend.”

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Stenhouse has shown off speed all season long, posting solid results, including three top fives and five top 10s. With a win under his belt, Stenhouse’s confidence continues to grow.

“My confidence has been really high all year,” Stenhouse said. “We know what race tracks we need to work on. I think Kansas will be a good test for us. I feel like the older, worn‑out race tracks that we have on our schedule are really good for us.”

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After crashing out of Sunday’s race, Stenhouse’s girlfriend, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Danica Patrick, cheered him on from the sidelines and celebrated with him in Victory Lane.

Stenhouse talked about how they are able to support each other despite being competitors on the track.

“We’ve got a great relationship, just like anybody else does, and both of our main focus is to go out and run well and win races and do what we have to do to do that,” Stenhouse said. “She understands that I’m going to go to the shop a lot, and to have that support and her knowing where I’m coming from is great to have.

“I don’t mind being known as her boyfriend,” he added. “She doesn’t mind being known as my girlfriend. It goes either way, and we couldn’t be in a better place right now.”

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Stenhouse Jr.’s dad, Ricky Stenhouse Sr., watched his son pass Kyle Busch for the lead and hold him off for the victory from his motorhome, which was located behind the Alabama Gang Superstretch of the 2.66-mile track.

Stenhouse Jr. credits his father for helping him achieve his racing dreams.

“My dad has done so much for me in my career,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “Making sure that you have the right people around you is one of the things that he’s all about — making sure that you have people that respect you, that will do anything for you, and man, he sacrificed a lot for me and my career.”

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Stenhouse raced sprint cars at tracks across the Midwest on his journey to NASCAR success.

As other dirt-track racers all around the country are working hard to take the same path as him, the Olive Branch, Miss. native understands just how important it is to keep in touch with his past. 

“It’s really important,” Stenhouse said. “I think Kyle (Larson) does the best job of anybody going back and running local short track races, whether it’s dirt or asphalt. I just started a World of Outlaws team with Joey Saldana driving, and that’s a great way to give back. Larson has been doing that for quite some time now, so I’m glad to join the ranks of doing that. 

“I enjoy going back and running some midget races and some sprint car races every now and then,” he added. “I think it keeps you sharp, definitely are tough track conditions and tough to go out there and compete, but I think the fans, the drivers really support you over here when you do that.”

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