Aaron Reutzel loves playing into the role of Sprint Car racing’s villain. Think villain is too strong of a word? Friday’s victory lane scene when Reutzel dominated Hard Knox night to advance into Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals main event says enough.

“First of all … I love hearing those boos!” said an emphatic Reutzel, who then turned toward the crowd and threw up the money sign with both his hands, a gesture made famous by former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel.

“That means I’m up here making money, (expletive)!”

Reutzel could not care less what people think of him — “Pretty much. That’s me,” he told FloRacing once he made his way back to his team’s designated pit area on Friday — and is the furthest thing imaginable from a people-pleaser.

The only people Reutzel has a heart for pleasing at this stage in his 32-year-old career is his family: wife Shelbey, 9-year-old son Carson, and 6-year-old daughter Riley. On Friday, Reutzel celebrated atop his race car with Riley and the two wore mega-watt smiles. Reutzel, as shown celebrating on Friday, is living his happiest life.

“Life’s been way better since it’s been this way,” Reutzel said. “Spending a lot time with my family.”

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Ever since his fallout from Roth Motorsports midway through the 2021 season — the aftermath of a 30-day suspension from the World of Outlaws for being caught using an unapproved chassis after a win that season at Weedsport (N.Y.) Speedway — he’s found his ideal situation with with Ridge & Sons Racing.

No longer running up and down the road with the WoO or All Star Circuit of Champions, the Clute, Texas, native has settled down in the Midwest, becoming a competitor in Knoxville’s weekly racing series.

“Less racing and more home life,” Reutzel said. “I think it’s coming along really well. As rough as it goes, we’ve had to start out the year where we are now. I think it shows with the group of guys I have with me and the owners I have behind me. Yeah, I think it’s going really well now.

“We’ve been, I don’t know what the stats are, but we’ve been on the podium almost every race, I feel like, over the last month. Car’s made a lot of money over the last month and that’s the important part for me. Yeah, I think things are going great.”

Why do so many reject Reutzel? He is largely remembered for his fist fight with Wayne Johnson at the beginning of 2021, where the kerfuffle escalated into Reutzel hurling his bicycle at Johnson.

The subsequent fallout from Roth Motorsports and month-long suspension from the WoO tour in 2021, which still is the harshest penalty in recent memory, has also shaped Reutzel’s public image. Reutzel has since fessed up to those mistakes. And taken the villain role to the bank as his newest T-shirts have “The Outcast Outlaw” imprinted on the back.

“Like, honestly, I couldn’t care less about (what people think) because now my racing career ain’t at the point where I’m trying to, you know, be out there night in and night out like these guys are,” Reutzel said. “I’m trying to do things a little different. I’m (leading) more of a family life now and do stuff with my kids. The days of me living on the road are over. Yeah, my mindset has changed a little bit.”

On Saturday, he’ll start 21st in the 50-lap Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, a track he has two wins at this year. He’s been strong at the Nationals in the past, turning a pair of top fives over the years and leading 11 laps along the way. His best finish is fourth in 2018.

His mindset for Saturday is “go out there and get what we can get,” and as he said numerous times in Friday’s postrace interviews, pocket more money.

“Hopefully we’ll get up there a little farther and make a little more money, and see what happens,” he said.

Reutzel’s drive to be on the frontstretch for the biggest paycheck does extend beyond his coal-stoking with those who boo him. Carson and Riley are into golf and other activities, and those recreational things can be expensive.

“There’s a lot going on with all the sports stuff they do,” said Reutzel.

As a dad, he’s never been so involved with his two kids, which leads to the question, is he happier than ever? He answered ever so succinctly.

“Yup.”