Stone Cold Steve Austin Skips 3:16 Day for Off-Road Racing

The WWE legend will miss the annual celebration to focus on his racing career.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:19pm

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Steve Austin, the iconic WWE wrestler known as the "Stone Cold" Texas Rattlesnake, will not be appearing on WWE Raw or any other WWE programming for this year's 3:16 Day celebration. Instead, Austin says he'll be "hunkered down in a garage out here in Nevada" working to get his off-road racing vehicle ready for an upcoming 250-mile race.

Why it matters

As one of the most popular and influential wrestlers of all time, Austin's absence from the annual 3:16 Day festivities is notable. Fans have come to expect Austin to make some kind of appearance or statement on the anniversary of his famous "Austin 3:16" promo, so his decision to prioritize his racing career over the WWE celebration is somewhat surprising.

The details

In an interview with The Takedown, Austin explained that he'll be too busy preparing his side-by-side utility vehicle for an upcoming 250-mile off-road race to make any WWE appearances on 3:16 Day. He said he and his team will be "working our asses off" to get the car ready, and that he wants to "put my own show on out there in the desert." Austin did confirm he'll be appearing at WWE World, the company's fan festival, during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas.

  • March 16, 2026 is 3:16 Day, the annual celebration of Stone Cold Steve Austin's iconic promo.
  • Austin will be racing his off-road vehicle a few days after 3:16 Day.

The players

Stone Cold Steve Austin

A legendary professional wrestler known for his rebellious persona and famous "Austin 3:16" promo in the WWE (then the WWF).

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What they’re saying

“Man, they should tune in because they love WWE. I'm out. I'll be a few days out from that race and the race I'm talking about with my racing career and we're trying to get that car ready and we're working our asses off. So, yeah, I'll be hunkered down in a garage out here in Nevada trying to get this buggy ready. Side by side utility vehicle to race this grueling 250 mile race with everybody else that I race with. So, I want to get out there and put my own show on out there in the desert.”

— Stone Cold Steve Austin (The Takedown)

What’s next

Austin will appear at WWE World, the company's fan festival, during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday.

The takeaway

While Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the most iconic figures in WWE history, his decision to skip the annual 3:16 Day celebration in favor of focusing on his off-road racing career shows how his interests and priorities have evolved beyond just professional wrestling.