Tony Stewart And Matt Hagan Deliver Strong Finals Performance At Las Vegas NHRA
Tony Stewart, a celebrated NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, recently showcased his versatility and skill in the world of drag racing by making his first professional final round appearance at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In what was only his fourth Top Fuel race, Stewart, driving the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Rayce Rudeen Foundation Dodge//SRT dragster, advanced to the finals. Despite a valiant effort and recording his best times of the weekend, Stewart was outpaced by Doug Kalitta in the final showdown. This performance, however, was enough to elevate him to the sixth position in the current NHRA Top Fuel points standings.
Parallel to Stewart's achievement, Matt Hagan, the reigning NHRA Mission World Funny Car Champion, also made it to the Four-Wide Nationals finals. Piloting his TSR Operation Healing Forces Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, Hagan demonstrated commendable speed during the Funny Car eliminations but ultimately fell to Bob Tasca III in the final round. Nonetheless, Hagan's efforts secured him a spot in fourth place within the NHRA Funny Car points standings.
Reflecting on his performance, Stewart expressed contentment with his and his team's progression, noting significant improvements race by race. He highlighted his satisfaction with leaving good reaction times on the lights, a crucial aspect for a rookie driver in Top Fuel. With an optimistic outlook, Stewart is eagerly anticipating the upcoming race in Charlotte.
Hagan shared similar sentiments regarding his team's advancements. He praised his crew chief, Dickie Venables, for his exceptional performance on Sundays and noted significant adjustments made to the engine's bellhousing. Despite facing a defeat on a 'holeshot', Hagan remains enthusiastic about participating in competitive final rounds and is optimistic about future races.
Both Stewart and Hagan are gearing up for their next challenge at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. Stewart is set to make his first Top Fuel appearance there, returning to a venue where he clinched a NASCAR Sprint Cup race victory in 2003. Hagan, with four NHRA Funny Car World Championships under his belt and previous wins at the zMAX Dragway, is no stranger to success in Charlotte.
The upcoming NHRA event promises excitement with qualifying rounds scheduled for April 26 and final eliminations on April 28. Fans of drag racing can catch all the action and updates on DodgeGarage, a comprehensive portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news.
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