LAS VEGAS — It didn’t take long for Tony Stewart to hoist his first Wally in NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer, who’s embarking on his inaugural season aboard a Top Alcohol Dragster for McPhillips Racing, scored the win in the Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Stewart won in just his fourth career start, going 5.324-seconds at 269.62 mph in the final round in his Mobil 1 dragster. The legendary racer was the runner-up in his NHRA debut at the fall race in Las Vegas last year, picking up a memorable first win on Sunday, now giving Stewart wins in NHRA, NASCAR and IndyCar, as well as victories on every track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“When we raced here last fall, I was just ecstatic to make the finals, but today I told Leah (Pruett, wife and Top Fuel racer), ‘I’m not happy to just be in the finals today. I said I want this,’” Stewart said. “I thoroughly enjoyed four-wide racing. I’ll be honest, to me, it feels like it kind of brings that short track feel, like the first few rounds it felt like heat races. It’s hard not to like it when you win, but I think it’s a cool deal.”
Stewart’s NHRA team also had a successful day in Las Vegas, with Funny Car driver Matt Hagan notching his third win of the season.