With two races remaining in the NHRA season, there are plenty of questions being raised.
One of them is, does it get any better than this for Tony Stewart Racing?
After drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan pulled off the Texas two-step two weekends ago by bringing the nitro team its first national event sweep across Top Fuel and Funny Car at the Texas Motorplex, they also rocketed into the point lead in their respective categories.
Heading into this weekend’s NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Pruett has a four-point lead over Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel, while Hagan boasts a 36-point lead over Bob Tasca III in Funny Car.
Of course, the short answer is winning two championships would be better.
It’s been three years since Hagan won his third world title, and Pruett has yet to win a Top Fuel championship in her 11-year career.
But despite their advantages late in the Countdown to the Championship, both drivers have kept in perspective just how close the competition is, knowing their leads could easily be wiped out with one slight misstep.
According to Pruett, every team is the team to beat at this stage — not just TSR.
“We’ve been in such a spot where we’re looking at who’s ahead of us and how to beat them — we can’t change the dynamic of what we’re doing,” Pruett said. “But it does feel good. We’ve been pretty good in this sleeper spot, coming up to them.”
Jeg Coughlin Jr. Is Back, For A Little Bit
Six-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. was called out of retirement for the final two races of the NHRA season — the upcoming Nevada Nationals and In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.
The 84-time national event winner will be racing for Elite Motorsports, the team he drove for during the final four years of his career. He will be piloting Erica Enders’ new steed for next season.
“It’s an honor to be pulled out of the ‘dugout’ to test and run Erica’s (Enders) new car for these last two races of the season,” Coughlin Jr. said. “It’s been a quick three-year hiatus.”
His last full season of competition was 2020. Coughlin’s presence in the field could also steal points from other contenders hoping to keep Enders from securing her sixth Pro Stock title.
Picking Up The Pace
Justin Ashley is on the outside looking in at the battle for the Top Fuel title.
While close enough to make a move for the title, the fourth-year drag racer will need to pick up the pace starting this weekend in Las Vegas. He is 108 points behind Pruett, with Kalitta and Steve Torrence sandwiched between them.
“Last year we were in and out of the points lead during the Countdown and there were always several teams grouped together trying to take the top spot,” Ashley said. “We have been in this position before and I think we can lean on that experience.”
The Phillips Connect dragster driver was on a hot streak earlier this year, winning six national events during the regular season. However, the spark has somewhat fizzled during the Countdown, as Ashley has failed to make it past the quarterfinals since starting the playoffs.
He’s pinned his hopes on Las Vegas as a potential turning point.
“If we can find success in Las Vegas, I believe we’ll have an opportunity for the championship in Pomona,” Ashley said.
Torrence, who is only 13 points back from Pruett, is in prime position for a title fight.
“The bottom line is all three of us control our own destiny,” Torrence said, referring to himself, Kalitta and Pruett. “We’re separated by less than one round so it comes down to whoever does best in these last two races…I think we’re peaking at absolutely the right time.”
Meanwhile, in Funny Car, Ron Capps is the one who’s got to go.
With the reigning champion ranked fourth in the standings, 99 points behind Hagan, time is running out for him to find his footing and successfully defend his title.
“Here we are, same conversation. Headed to Vegas, two races to go and another chance to win a world championship. Obviously, we would have liked to have been positioned better in the points going into this weekend,” Capps admitted. “We’re excited to go to Vegas and try and move up in the points.”
The NAPA Auto Parts-sponsored driver is hunting his third consecutive championship and fourth overall.
Robert Hight, who is also seeking a fourth title, has a slight edge on Capps, as the John Force Racing driver is placed third in the standings, 69 points behind Hagan and 33 points behind Tasca.
“This championship is far from over,” Hight said following the Texas FallNationals.
Millican Penalized For Loose Ballast
The NHRA penalized Top Fuel racer Clay Millican after “violating the rules pertaining to loose ballast” during the FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The Rick Ware Racing driver was disqualified and fined $5,000.