The wildest weather conditions in the past several years on the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series hit the Play NHRA Virginia Nationals this weekend, but the two Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge nitro teams were able to negotiate near 150-degree track temperatures and place in the semifinals with drivers Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car).
With air temperatures near 100 degrees as well due to an East Coast hot weather “dome,” the TSR crews fought incredible odds with the hot and humid conditions and a slippery track. Stewart and Hagan both showed strong starting line reactions in Sunday’s elimination rounds to gain important points as the NHRA tour heads next to the Summit Racing Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio, on June 28-30.
Stewart, the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and NHRA Top Fuel rookie, enjoyed one of his best NHRA Top Fuel races at Virginia Motorsports Park by qualifying a season-best third in the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT® dragster at 3.885 and set low elapsed time in the first two rounds of the Sunday competition.
Led by crew chiefs Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala, Stewart’s Top Fueler clocked a 3.874 in defeating Clay Millican in the first round and a 3.907 against former NHRA World Champion Brittany Force in round two. It marked the third time this year that Stewart advanced to the semifinals in a Top Fuel machine, and he took on defending World Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta. However, a rainstorm halted action for over three hours and track conditions changed.
With a chance to get to his first final round, Stewart made a sensational reaction time (0.047) against Kalitta. But Stewart’s mount lost traction at midtrack, and Kalitta recorded the win and also captured the event title against Shawn Langdon.
“I’m really proud of our weekend coming off a disappointing Bristol race,” said Stewart. “Nobody likes to lose and, ultimately, there’s only one person that wins the whole thing. We had one day to make three runs in qualifying with very hot track conditions. We made a great run to qualify our best so far with third. With the way the bracket works, the No. 3 qualifier runs the No. 14 qualifier, who was Clay Millican, and that is no easy feat racing him. He is a great competitor with a great team.
“I then went up against Brittany (Force) in the second round. It was a tough day for her family. John (Force) had a big crash with the Funny Car, and we’re thinking the best for him. You feel for Brittany, Austin (Prock) and the whole Force family. This is where the team really shined today because our car outperformed her car. We lined up against our buddy Doug Kalitta in the semis. We’ve raced each other for years in sprint cars and midgets. I was happy with my reaction time as it was the best of the weekend. Unfortunately, it just shook the tires. It’s disappointing to lose in the semifinals, but I’m proud of this team. The conditions were hot, and the track was challenging. I call it a win at the end of the day.”
Hagan, the defending NHRA Mission World Funny Car Champion, had a similar road as Stewart in the tough Funny Car division despite a difficult result in qualifying . The popular Virginia racer defeated J.R. Todd and Mike Smith in the opening two sessions of Sunday’s eliminations.
Going up against Funny Car point leader Austin Prock in the semifinals, Hagan jumped to the lead with a spectacular starting light over the John Force Racing driver, but Hagan’s machine just missed the win with a 4.031 to Prock’s 3.96. Prock went on to win the event.
“A lot of teams were having problems, and we were having problems as well trying to keep eight cylinders lit in these conditions,” said Hagan. “We didn’t qualify great, but we always seem to race great. We’ll turn things around and win some more races soon. I have trust in my guys and I’m so proud of them. When you’re sitting in the car and can see beads of sweat dripping down their faces and arms, it makes you proud to have a team like that. It was a very challenging weekend.
“Obviously, we’re also thinking about and praying for John (Force). He’s had some licks over the years and he’s one of the toughest guys we’ve ever seen. That’s why he’s still in the race car. We hope he’s okay and wish him the best. He’s the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) for a reason. If anyone can bounce back from something like that, it is John.”
The popular NHRA Summit Racing Nationals are next on the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series schedule with qualifying rounds beginning on Friday, June 28, at 6 p.m. EDT and 8:30 p.m. EDT. Saturday’s qualifying session will take place at 2:30 p.m. EDT and 5 p.m. EDT. Sunday’s final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT. Fox Sports 1 will televise Sunday’s eliminations at 4 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 30, with the later elimination rounds set for 5 p.m. on the FOX network.
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