Tony Stewart Narrowly Misses Victory at NHRA Sonoma Nationals

Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) had an impressive performance at the NHRA DENSO Sonoma Nationals this past Sunday, with team owner and racing legend Tony Stewart achieving a runner-up finish in the Top Fuel category. Driving the TSR Rinnai Dodge//SRT nitro-burning dragster, Stewart came close to making motorsports history by potentially becoming the first driver to secure major professional race wins in NASCAR, IndyCar, USAC, and NHRA.

In just his 12th professional event, Stewart faced former world champion Antron Brown in the Top Fuel final. Despite posting a quicker reaction time, Stewart’s 3.774-second run was narrowly edged out by Brown’s 3.746-second effort.

Stewart’s path to the final round included victories over Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, and Ron August Jr. Racing in 75-degree weather before a large crowd, Stewart’s impressive reaction times off the starting line were a highlight of his performance. Replacing his wife Leah Pruett for the 2024 season as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, Stewart’s Top Fuel success has kept him in the top ten in the NHRA Mission Top Fuel points standings.

Reflecting on the weekend, Stewart said, “This was a much better weekend than I anticipated. We had to regroup after last week’s Seattle race, and with help from Dickie Venables from Matt Hagan’s Funny Car team, we were able to make significant improvements. In the final, we left on one of the best drivers in Top Fuel, which is a big achievement for me. I’m proud of the team’s effort and the progress we made.”

Stewart’s TSR teammate, Matt Hagan, also had a strong showing in the Funny Car category, piloting his TSR Johnson’s Horsepower Garage (JHG) Dodge//SRT Charger HELLCAT to the semifinals. Hagan, the defending NHRA Mission Funny Car World Champion, stayed third in the current points standings after qualifying second with a 3.839-second run. He defeated Jeff Diehl and Chad Green in the initial rounds before narrowly losing to former champion Ron Capps in the semifinals.

Hagan commented on the weekend’s performance, saying, “The Dodge//SRT race car is coming around now. We tried some new things in the summer races and reverted to our proven setup this weekend, which worked well. Although we fell short against Ron Capps in the semis, it was a great weekend overall, and I’m excited for Tony and his crew reaching the final round.”

Both Stewart and Hagan will next compete at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, from August 16-18. Qualifying sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with final eliminations starting on Sunday morning. The event will be televised on FOX Network on Sunday, August 18, at 3 p.m. EDT.