During the 2017 NASCAR season, Tony Stewart made his feelings about Kyle Larson abundantly clear. Even though the young star never drove for Stewart-Haas Racing, that didn't lower his affection for Larson.As Larson clinched his second win of the year at Michigan and emerged as the points leader, fans began questioning why he wasn't in SHR's fold. Stewart, then two years into retirement, revealed:"I would love to have him. You need to ask him that question"The tweets stirred speculation and reflected a deeper professional respect for one generational talent to another.At just 24 years old, Kyle Larson was in his fourth full-time season with Chip Ganassi Racing and was beginning to truly break through in the Cup Series. Stewart, himself a three-time Cup champion and co-owner of SHR, had long admired Larson's racing versatility.He added (via NASCAR.com):"He's a friend of mine. And even if he doesn't drive for me, I care and am happy for him."Tony Stewart wasn't just offering praise from the sidelines. He was making it known that if the door ever opened, SHR would be ready.Three years later, that possibility nearly became reality. In 2020, Larson was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for using a racial slur during an iRacing event in April. He was promptly released by Ganassi. In the fallout, Stewart pushed to sign Larson to Stewart-Haas Racing, to place him in the No. 14 car as Clint Bowyer neared retirement.But the plan hit a wall as Ford - SHR's manufacturer partner reportedly blocked the move, citing public fallout. With SHR unable to make the move, Chase Briscoe was promoted to the No. 14 car instead. Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports, which had an open seat following Jimmie Johnson's exit, swooped in.Hendrick was able to secure internal sponsorship through HendrickCars.com, and Larson returned to the Cup grid in 2021. It turned out to be a masterstroke as he'd go on to win ten races that year, on his way to his maiden Cup title.Tony Stewart reflects on Kyle Larson's "greatest race car driver" comments(L-R) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Tony Stewart. Source: GettyIn 2024, Kyle Larson became the subject of debate after suggesting he was a more well-rounded driver than Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen. Larson, who has raced in sprint cars, midgets, dirt late models, IndyCar, and NASCAR, later clarified that he wasn't claiming to be the 'greatest race car driver,' but rather speaking to his comfort across disciplines.But fans climbed on his comments. It was Tony Stewart who came to Larson's defense. Speaking to Kevin Harvick, Stewart said:"I know it's a huge debate... Obviously I'm a huge Kyle Larson fan. Love what he does in a Sprint car. I watched him run his first dirt late model races, and he's had success there now, going to Indy... I think Kyle Larson, you can take him and drop him in any race car, and he's going to be up to speed pretty quick, and he'll figure it out pretty quick... He's a guy that's a once-in-a-lifetime type guy. It seems like every generation has that one guy that stands out above the rest, and Kyle's that guy."Stewart went further, drawing comparisons between drivers across motorsport. He recalled former F1 drivers Juan Pablo Montoya's and Kevin Magnussen's quick adaptation to dirt cars, but made it clear that few matched Larson's natural rhythm.While Kyle Larson never ended up racing for Stewart-Haas Racing, the bond and admiration never faded.