Tony Stewart Racing Prepares for Texas NHRA FallNationals

Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) is set to compete at the Texas NHRA FallNationals this weekend, October 11-13, at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas. The event marks the 18th stop on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the fourth round in the Countdown to the Championship. Both Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car) will be vying for critical points as they continue their campaigns in the NHRA postseason.

Stewart’s First Countdown to the Championship – 

Tony Stewart, making his first-ever appearance in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, enters Dallas ninth in the Top Fuel standings, trailing points leader Antron Brown by 194 points. Stewart, driving the Mobil 1 Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster, is looking for his first career Top Fuel win at the Texas NHRA FallNationals.

Reflecting on TSR’s performance at last year’s event, Stewart said, “It would mean the world to me. Last year, having Matt and Leah double-up for TSR was the finish to an event that we hadn’t had before. We realize how tough it is to do that in a sport, so that was a huge accomplishment for our organization.”

Hagan Chasing a Fifth Win in Texas – 

Matt Hagan, driving the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT HELLCAT Funny Car, is a seasoned competitor at the Texas Motorplex. He has four previous wins at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, including victories in 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2023. Currently fifth in the Funny Car standings, Hagan trails leader Austin Prock by 205 points but remains a strong contender for another Texas victory.

“To get a win in Texas for the fifth time would be huge,” Hagan shared. “You just obviously want to keep doing well at tracks that treat you well… It’s going to be a great weekend, and if we can pull down the fifth win at Texas Motorplex, I think it would be the icing on the cake.”

Friday Night Live and Qualifying Bonus – 

This year’s Texas NHRA FallNationals features “Friday Night Live,” offering $15,000 in bonus money for the quickest pass in both Top Fuel and Funny Car during Friday’s qualifying session. Along with the prize money, drivers can earn crucial qualifying points.

Stewart emphasized the importance of this incentive, saying, “That Friday night session gives teams the chance to throw down and earn the fastest run to have a little extra money, so everybody loves that. We’re just very appreciative and glad we have a racetrack and promoters willing to stick their neck out on the line for all of us.”

Hagan echoed Stewart’s thoughts, noting, “The $15,000 is huge. I think our crew guys need some extra bonus money. It’s one of those things where you have to go up there with nothing to lose and throw it down and hope it sticks.”

Event Schedule and TV Coverage – 

For fans eager to catch the action, the Texas NHRA FallNationals will be streamed live on NHRA.TV and the key events will also be broadcast on FS1. Below is the schedule for Nitro qualifying and eliminations:

Friday, October 11 (Nitro Qualifying)

• Q1: 5:15 p.m. CDT / 6:15 p.m. EDT
• Q2: 8:00 p.m. CDT / 9:00 p.m. EDT

Saturday, October 12 (Nitro Qualifying)

• Q3: 1:00 p.m. CDT / 2:00 p.m. EDT
• Q4: 4:00 p.m. CDT / 5:00 p.m. EDT

Sunday, October 13 (Nitro Eliminations)

• Round 1: 12:00 p.m. CDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Round 2: 2:00 p.m. CDT / 3:00 p.m. EDT
• Semifinals: 3:30 p.m. CDT / 4:30 p.m. EDT
• Finals: 5:00 p.m. CDT / 6:00 p.m. EDT

TV Coverage on FS1:

• Qualifying show: Sunday, October 13, at 2:00 p.m. EDT
• Finals show: Sunday, October 13, at 4:00 p.m. EDT

Tony Stewart and Matt Hagan are poised for an exciting weekend at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, with the chance to earn vital points and potentially more victories for TSR. Fans can follow the action live on NHRA.TV and FS1 to see if TSR will add another chapter to its success in Dallas.