SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Arguably, the biggest news coming from the drag-racing community this season has been motorsports magnate Tony Stewart’s initial investment in NHRA, with his Top Fuel-driving fiancée Leah Pruett and her Funny Car colleague from Don Schumacher Racing, Matt Hagan.
This new team won’t have the same vibe as when John Andretti drove for baseball’s Jack Clark or when NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini gave NHRA a whirl. Tony Stewart Racing is fielding known Camping World Drag Racing Series entities, both champions.
They have performance experience. Stewart brings the organizational, sponsorship, business, media and public-relations savvy. Even before its February debut at California’s Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, this team has elevated the awareness of drag racing and injected a sense of excitement into even the most jaded of fans.
Whether Stewart himself, who has made some get-acquainted and licensing passes in an 11,000-horsepower, nitro-burning dragster, plans to enter a race or two next year remains unclear.
“Not right now,” Stewart said. “I’ve made 10 runs in Leah’s car. And, trust me, that’s not even near enough to get close to being ready to compete at this level that these two are at. It’s been an honor and it’s been a lot of fun to do that, but I’m sure now that I get to pay the bills on the car next year, I can probably have the ability to go test a little more if I want. So that part will be fun. I do anticipate practicing more, but it’s a little early to try to make that big step.
“I’m more excited about having two drivers that I know can go out each week and have the ability to win races.”
That isn’t what might be the most fun to watch.
“I’m new to the NHRA, but I’m not new to motorsports,” Stewart said. And that’s where — eventually — this new team owner might make a significant impact in the sport in a positive way.
Singlehandedly, he has more motorsports experience than all of the NHRA executives combined. That’s less a criticism of the NHRA officials than it is a statement about Stewart’s unrivaled achievements. Stewart has an extensive and impressive driving résumé, and he’s a team owner in multiple disciplines, a race track owner, a series owner and a network-TV deal-broker.
And he hasn’t been timid about speaking up when he has something to say. Pruett said, “He is a man of his word. Not everybody likes all the words that he has to say, but he says them with conviction, and it has reasoning behind it.”
So if he has a thought about a safety issue or one about presentation, sponsor recruitment, purses, rules or whatever it might be, it’s a good bet he will have a conversation with the proper official.
Stewart remains in learning mode and has been extremely respectful.
“Beginning with Don Schumacher, I’ve probably annoyed everyone in the paddock with all the questions I’ve asked, but the more I learned about drag racing, the less I wanted to just be a spectator. I want to be an integral part of it. And I don’t do things halfway. I go all in,” Stewart said.
Here are other situations to keep an eye on:
– Eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher is racing full time again. Fans are ready to see if, to borrow an Antron Brown phrase, he still has enough “stank in the tank” to challenge dominator Steve Torrence.
Schumacher said, and Torrence would agree, that the Top Fuel class is full of stout competition — including Brown, Justin Ashley, Josh Hart, Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, Pruett and Brittany Force.
– Since he rescued NHRA drag racing in late 2020 after Coca-Cola bailed as series sponsor, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis has been rather quiet. He hasn’t tipped his hand about whether he likes what he sees of the sport or how he plans to leverage his investment. Whatever activation he has planned for 2022 will be welcome.
– A seismic shift has occurred, perhaps signaling that multicar teams have less shine than they once did. Nevertheless, Don Schumacher Racing will be competitive, win races and maintain the high standard it has set in the industry, regardless of how many cars it enters.
– Thirteen of the first 18 races this year had incomplete fields in either Top Fuel or Funny Car or both. Here’s to a successful offseason that brings in fresh sponsors.
– Top Fuel/Pro Mod racer and businessman Mike Salinas is expected to have three of his four daughters racing with him and Scrappers Racing. Jasmine might transition into the Top Fuel class; Jianna is improving steadily in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class; And Janae just earned her Super Comp license.
– The next generation of team owners looks much younger, with Krista Baldwin, Antron Brown and Josh Hart among those investing in the future.
– Ambitious Florida businessman and racer Josh Hart will increase his participation in the Top Fuel class.
– Will John Force Racing or another team find a deal to bring back Austin Prock to full-time competition?
He has sat out too long.