TSR Nitro Teams Face Narrow Defeats at NHRA Vegas Nationals

Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) experienced a day of razor-thin margins at the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals held at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions both witnessed intense competition, resulting in heartbreakingly close first-round eliminations for TSR drivers Tony Stewart and Matt Hagan.

Tony Stewart’s Tight Top Fuel Matchup – 

NASCAR legend Tony Stewart, in his first year competing in the NHRA Top Fuel category, delivered an impressive qualifying performance with a 3.703-second run, placing sixth in the lineup. In Sunday’s first-round eliminations, Stewart piloted his TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster to a strong 3.735-second pass. However, three-time Top Fuel champion Antron Brown edged him out with a quicker 3.724-second effort, winning by mere inches at the finish line.

Despite the loss, Stewart remained upbeat, emphasizing the team’s continued development. “We had three solid qualifying sessions and felt confident going into eliminations,” Stewart said. “My crew put together a great car, but Antron and I had a really close race, and unfortunately, we came up short. We’ll use Monday’s testing to prepare for Pomona.” Stewart currently sits ninth in the NHRA Top Fuel standings as he heads to the season finale in Pomona, California, from November 14-17.

Matt Hagan’s Funny Car Struggles – 

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Matt Hagan, a four-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion, had high hopes for another win in Las Vegas after a recent victory in Texas. His TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT HELLCAT, decked out in the 50th Anniversary Direct Connection paint scheme, qualified sixth with a 3.854-second run. Yet, engine troubles in Saturday’s qualifying session added to the team’s challenges.

Facing young contender Daniel Wilkerson in the first round, Hagan’s 3.901-second run came up short against Wilkerson’s 3.880, another narrow loss. “We were just on the wrong side of a good drag race,” Hagan said. “The crew did a great job putting everything back together after our engine explosion in Q3, but we were a little conservative. We’re staying to test on Monday, so we can come back stronger for Pomona.” Hagan remains fourth in the NHRA Mission Funny Car standings.

Rookie Ida Zetterström’s Tough Battle – 

Ida Zetterström, competing in her first NHRA season, faced defending champion Doug Kalitta in the opening round. Her JCM/Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster struggled with tire smoke, allowing Kalitta to advance. “Doug is a tough competitor, and we knew it would be a fight,” Zetterström said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted, but we’re looking forward to SEMA and then wrapping up the season strong in Pomona.”

Preparing for the Finale – 

The NHRA season concludes at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, with nitro qualifying beginning on Friday, November 15, and final eliminations on Sunday, November 17. Fans can catch the eliminations live on Fox Sports 1 at 4 p.m. EST.