Tony Stewart Racing continued to show impressive form at the 65th NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip this past weekend, with team owner Tony Stewart reaching his third career Top Fuel final and driver Matt Hagan advancing to the semifinals in Funny Car competition.
Stewart Narrowly Misses First Victory
Stewart, piloting his Rinnai-sponsored Dodge//SRT® Top Fuel dragster, delivered his most consistent performance of the season, dispatching three former champions on his way to the final round. Stewart qualified eighth with a solid 3.695-second pass at 329.58 mph during Friday’s second round of qualifying.
During the elimination rounds on Sunday, Stewart showed remarkable consistency and driving skill, beginning with a holeshot victory over reigning world champion Antron Brown in round one. Stewart’s reaction time advantage (.060 to Brown’s .086) helped power his 3.713 at 314.68 mph past Brown’s troubled 5.253.
The momentum continued in the second round where Stewart again left first (.049 reaction time) and rolled to a 3.702 at 332.92 mph to defeat Doug Kalitta, who struggled to a 4.456 at 178.26 mph. In the semifinals, Stewart’s 3.723 at 330.07 mph outpaced points leader Shawn Langdon’s 3.835 at 316.01 mph, earning Stewart his spot in the final against Clay Millican.
Unfortunately for Stewart, his hopes for a breakthrough first NHRA victory were dashed when his dragster smoked the tires around the 200-foot mark in the final round. Millican took advantage of the opportunity, though not without drama, as his engine erupted in a spectacular fireball at the finish line while taking the win.
“The day I get upset with losing is the day I retire from racing,” Stewart reflected after the final. “But our TSR team wants to win, and these guys worked their tails off. We just got a little too aggressive in the final. We had a great car all weekend, and I’m proud of what we accomplished. Beating three former champions back-to-back is no small feat. We’ll take this momentum into Las Vegas.”
Millican, recognizing Stewart’s rapid improvement, offered high praise for his competitor: “Tony Stewart is going to win one of these things very soon. He wins everything. He’s won in everything he’s ever driven,” Millican said.
Hagan Shows Championship Form
Meanwhile, four-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan continued his strong start to the 2025 season, advancing to the semifinals in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat.
Hagan, who entered the weekend seventh in points, qualified solidly in the top half of the field before embarking on a Sunday performance that included defeating Alexis DeJoria in round one with a 3.884 at 324.59 mph, followed by a tight victory over Blake Alexander in round two, 3.940 to 3.944.
The semifinal matchup against Jack Beckman proved to be the end of Hagan’s day, as a spectacular engine failure at the top end led to a 3.915 at 316.82 mph, which wasn’t enough to overcome Beckman’s 3.860 at 328.62 mph.
“Our TSR crew did a great job this weekend with some guys swapping positions,” Hagan said. “Thomas (Brown) lost his mother yesterday and he’s right back at it today. I’m sure it is an emotional battle for him right now, and we are thinking about him and his family in this tough time.”
Regarding his semifinal engine explosion, Hagan added, “That was a big ‘boomer’ at the top end against Jack. It looks like it broke a rod there. I’m glad there wasn’t a big fire, and I could see things in front of me. I had no warning about the ‘boomer,’ and it was big enough that it stung my hands pretty well. We’ll put it back together. Tony Stewart Racing gives us plenty of parts and pieces. We’ll go to the Four-Wide in Las Vegas looking to win that one again.”
Championship Standings
With three events now complete in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, both Tony Stewart Racing drivers have made significant moves in the championship standings. Stewart’s runner-up finish at Pomona has vaulted him to fifth in the Top Fuel standings, a substantial improvement from his sixth-place position entering the weekend.
Meanwhile, Hagan’s semifinal appearance has solidified his position as a title contender, with the four-time champion now sitting third in the Funny Car standings after three rounds of competition. This marks a notable climb from seventh place, where he stood before the Winternationals.
Team Progress
The Winternationals marked significant progress for Tony Stewart Racing, with both drivers improving their championship positions. Hagan is now 74 points behind Funny Car leader Jack Beckman with his semifinal appearance. Stewart’s runner-up performance also strengthened his position in the Top Fuel standings.
Both drivers also secured positions in the NHRA’s #2Fast2Tasty Mission Challenge at the upcoming Las Vegas event, where Hagan will face Blake Alexander, and Stewart will get a rematch with Doug Kalitta.
The strong showing in Pomona demonstrates why TSR has quickly become one of the premier teams in NHRA drag racing, with both vehicles showing the consistency and performance needed to contend for championships. The team’s next opportunity comes at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, an event that Stewart nearly won in 2024 and one that Hagan has previously conquered.
With the momentum gained in Pomona, Tony Stewart Racing heads to Las Vegas with Dodge//SRT and increasing confidence that the team’s first Top Fuel victory is just around the corner.
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