AUBURN HILLS, Mich — NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart has won races in various forms of motorsports including paved ovals, dirt ovals, road courses and drag strips during his famed racing career.
The Top Fuel rookie added to his winning total Sunday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals when he captured two Top Fuel rounds in the Tony Stewart Racing Direct Connection Dodge//SRT car.
Known throughout the racing community as “Smoke,” Stewart had actually lived up to his nickname in qualifying rounds at Firebird Motorsports Park with his Top Fueler losing traction in very tough track conditions, but his TSR Dodge//SRT squad, led by Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala, adjusted the car’s settings for Sunday’s eliminations and Stewart won two rounds of competition.
The first-round victory over former world champion Brittany Force was Stewart’s initial Top Fuel round win after making an impressive performance last year in the Alcohol Dragster division, which included two NHRA national event wins. Stewart replaced his wife, Leah, as the driver in the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster at the Gatornationals last month.
In the second round at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Stewart ousted Billy Torrance to advance to the semifinals against Justin Ashley, whom he faced at the Gatornationals. Stewart lost in a close race to Ashley, 3.844 to 3.885.
“The struggles continued Friday and Saturday which we went through at Gainesville and Pomona,” Stewart said after the event. “There were just difficult track conditions on Friday. Saturday wasn’t much better and was still a little frustrating for the team. On race day Sunday, we had to go up against the No. 2 qualifier (Brittany Force). We pedaled the throttle down to the finish line and got to the next round.
“Honestly, it’s kind of the break this TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection team needed. It doesn’t sound like a lot just winning one round. But having that opportunity to keep working on this car on a tricky race track meant a lot.”
Varying track conditions and weather have made Stewart’s immersion into Top Fuel difficult thus far. However, he feels the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be different next week.
“The encouraging thing is we’re going to Vegas next week and we’re all very confident the track is going to be in great shape,” Stewart said.
“I never thought just winning one round would take such a weight off your shoulders. It’s kind of like when we made the first run at Gainesville. I kind of relaxed and settled in. We’ll just keep digging. I’m looking forward to next week in Las Vegas.”