Tony Stewart Charges to NHRA Winternationals Final, Falls Just Short

Tony Stewart put on a show at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, advancing to the Top Fuel final round in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Rinnai Dodge//SRT dragster. In a thrilling run through eliminations, Stewart defeated three former NHRA World Champions—Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, and Shawn Langdon—before coming up short against Clay Millican in the final.

Stewart’s road to the final was nothing short of spectacular. The motorsports icon, who has already won in NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC, was looking to make history as the first driver to win across four major racing disciplines. After qualifying eighth on Saturday, he unleashed a series of consistent 3.70-second runs to take down some of the toughest names in the sport.

Stewart Battles Through NHRA’s Best – 

In the opening round, Stewart took out reigning World Champion Antron Brown with a 3.713-second pass. He followed it up with a 3.702-second win over 2023 titleholder Doug Kalitta. The semifinals saw him run a 3.723 to eliminate former World Champion Shawn Langdon, setting up a final-round showdown with Millican.

Unfortunately, Stewart’s hopes of victory were dashed when his TSR Dodge//SRT dragster smoked the tires at the 200-foot mark, allowing Millican to surge ahead for the win—despite Millican’s engine erupting in a dramatic fireball at the finish line.

Stewart Reflects on Runner-Up Finish – 

“The day I get upset with losing is the day I retire from racing,” Stewart said after the final. “But our TSR team wants to win, and these guys worked their tails off. We just got a little too aggressive in the final. We had a great car all weekend, and I’m proud of what we accomplished. Beating three former champions back-to-back is no small feat. We’ll take this momentum into Las Vegas.”

The final-round appearance marked Stewart’s third since taking over driving duties from his wife, Leah Pruett, in 2024. The couple welcomed their son, Dominic James, in November 2024, the same weekend as the NHRA World Finals.

Hagan Pushes TSR to Semifinals in Funny Car – 

Meanwhile, Stewart’s teammate, Matt Hagan, delivered a strong performance in the TSR Johnson Horsepowered Garage (JHG) Dodge//SRT HELLCAT Funny Car. A four-time NHRA Funny Car Champion, Hagan was looking for his fifth Winternationals victory and powered past Alexis DeJoria and Blake Alexander to reach the semifinals.

Hagan was razor-sharp on the tree, posting reaction times in the 0.040s, but fell short against Jack Beckman in the semis. His 3.915-second pass wasn’t enough to hold off Beckman’s 3.860.

“Our TSR crew did an incredible job,” Hagan said. “We’re making great strides with this HELLCAT Funny Car. We just got edged out in the semis, but we’ll regroup for Las Vegas. It’s a long season, and we’re in a great position in the points.”

Zetterström Battles Hard in First-Round Exit – 

Swedish driver Ida Zetterström, piloting the JCM/Dodge//SRT dragster, faced a tough first-round matchup against Langdon. Despite a solid 3.806-second pass, she was unable to overcome Langdon’s 3.668.

“We’re still searching for that momentum,” Zetterström said. “We’re up against the best in the world every race day, and we’re learning with each pass. Once we find that consistency, we’ll be a threat.”

Next Stop: NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas – 

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series heads to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 10-12. Nitro qualifying kicks off Friday at 12:30 p.m. PDT, with eliminations set for Sunday at noon. Fans can catch the NHRA Winternationals finals on Fox Sports 1 on April 12 at 6:30 p.m. EDT/3:30 p.m. PDT.