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Tony Stewart kiss the Yard of Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday after he won the Brickyard 400 for the first time.

It’s had a calming effect on the temperamental driver, who has yet to have one of his famous blowups this season.

One of them came here in 2002, in the lowest point of his career. After every disappointing finish here, Stewart was famous for stomping off in anger. Only that time, he snapped. Stewart punched an approaching photographer after fading out of the lead to a devastating 12th place finish.

But this is a calmer, kinder Stewart and he used all of his newfound maturity to earn this win. Coming into Indy on a hot streak — he’s now won four of the past six races this season — his Joe Gibbs Racing team felt this would be his best chance in seven NASCAR starts to win this event.

“This is the most relaxed I’ve seen him in seven years here,” crew chief Greg Zipadelli said. “But this is also the most relaxed I’ve seen him in an entire season. It’s also the first time I’ve seen him sit back and realize what he’s capable of.”

In years past, an antsy Stewart would charge to the front of the field and lead lap after lap in pursuit of his dream. This time, he was content to hang back in the pack after starting 22nd.

There was no need to race to the front.

When the time was right, Stewart would get there.

He finally did 100 laps into the race and seemed headed to the win. Then Kasey Kahne snatched the lead away from him with 27 laps to go and it could have been over for Stewart.

Every other year, losing the lead would have been enough to make a frustrated Stewart quit trying out of anger and drift back to a meaningless finish. Instead, he stayed calm as he chased down Kahne.

When a caution came out with 15 laps to go, Stewart had the biggest decision of the race in front of him: Should he give up track position to pit for tires, or stay out and try to muscle his way past Kahne.

He and Zipadelli debated back and forth over the radio, with Zipadelli urging his driver to make a decision.

“I’m too .... nervous to call it, bud,” he replied.

So they stayed on the track, gambling that they made the right decision.

It took Stewart just seconds to get into the lead, passing Kahne as they exited the second turn with 11 laps to go. He had to fight to hold him off, finally shaking him for good with just over 10 miles to go. There was no challenge as he crossed the finish line, screaming his appreciation to Zipadelli and his team.

Back on the pit box, Zipadelli was too emotional to speak.

“You have no idea what this means,” he sobbed. “Walking up to him and seeing that smile on his face. This just means so much to him.”

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“You guys have helped me win my lifelong dream today,” he screamed over his radio to his crew as he crossed the finish line.

One victory lap, then another. A stop near the suite where his friends and family were celebrating his win.

When he finally got out of his car, the chants of “Tony! Tony! Tony!” were deafening. Exhausted, he climbed the fence in celebration then collapsed on the frontstretch wall.