Tony Stewart’s Pro Drag Racing Debut Was Over in Less Time Than It Takes to Read This Headline

Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart’s professional drag racing debut lasted fewer than five seconds and was over before 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Leading up to the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals, the opening event of the season, Stewart’s move to the pro ranks of Top Fuel got the top billing in the NHRA’s pre-race television commercials, over second-billed John Force. (Interesting that the sport, anxious to attract younger fans, focused on a 52-year-old rookie, Stewart, and a 74-year-old, 16-time Funny Car champion. But whatever works.)

Stewart’s 11,000-horsepower Dodge Direct Connection dragster faced Justin Ashley’s Scag Power Equipment car in Sunday’s first Top Fuel matchup. Both left the line about the same time, and both cars began to lose traction about halfway down the 1000-foot track.

Stewart and Ashley both “pedaled” the cars—getting on and off the throttle, trying to let the rear tires stop spinning without losing too much forward momentum—and the more experienced Ashley was able to resume racing a split-second before Stewart, beating him to the line with a run of 4.414 seconds, to Stewart’s 4.453.

But the reviews were good for Stewart. Ashley, 30, is the Top Fuel’s best “leaver,” shorthand for someone who is particularly adept at minimizing the time it takes them to get the car going after they see the green starting light, giving them a head start. In this case, Ashley turned in an excellent .031-second reaction time. Stewart took only .021 seconds, which was actually the best Top Fuel reaction time all day.

Stewart was buoyed by his performance. “I’m extremely pleased with my first Top Fuel weekend, even with the first-round loss today,” said Stewart. “I cut a 0.21 light against the best leaver in the Top Fuel division and beat him off the line. We were the first pair of cars down the track on Sunday morning, so we really didn’t know what to expect.” Indeed, the Gainesville asphalt proved very hard to get a handle on, even for the most experienced teams.

“I feel we showed a solid performance with the car and myself,” said Stewart, who qualified ninth with a 3.725-second pass at 310.34 mph. “There is zero shame in my eyes, even losing to Justin. Seven other guys went home after the first round, too.” The eventual winner was Kalitta Racing’s Shawn Langdon, who defeated Billy Torrence.

Stewart was not expecting to take over the driving duties of the Top Fuel car he owns, but wife Leah Pruett, the regular driver of the car, stepped aside for the 2024 season as she and Stewart try to start a family. He raced in the less-powerful Top Alcohol class last year. Stewart is also co-owner of a four-car NASCAR Cup team, Stewart-Haas Racing, which competed Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

“I’m not leaving here thinking I know everything about Top Fuel racing,” Stewart said. “I know it’s going to be a long learning process. It’s a tough situation for Leah not being in the car right now, but she has been the best coach for me. I would have liked to advance further today, but that’s racing and I’m still learning with each run down the track.”

The next NHRA race in the 20-event season is the Winternationals at Pomona Raceway in California on March 22–24.

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