Tony Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, has once again etched his name into motorsport history with a groundbreaking victory at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 14, 2025, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 53-year-old racing icon clinched his first career Top Fuel win, clocking a blistering 3.870 seconds at 317.42 mph to outpace Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, and Jasmine Salinas in a chaotic four-wide final. This triumph, marking Stewart as the first driver to win both a NASCAR race and an NHRA Top Fuel event, was paired with a stunning announcement that he will never return to NASCAR as a team owner, sending shockwaves through the racing community.
Stewart’s NHRA victory was a testament to his versatility, adding a Top Fuel Wally to a resume that includes NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC championships. Competing in the high-stakes four-wide format, where four dragsters launch simultaneously, Stewart’s team overcame a fifth-place qualifying position to secure two holeshot wins before dominating the final. “You sure as hell appreciate it more when you struggle,” Stewart said, crediting his crew, led by Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala, for the historic win. The victory, the 999th Top Fuel Wally in NHRA history, propelled Stewart to second in the 2025 Top Fuel standings, just 16 points behind leader Shawn Langdon.
The emotional weight of the moment was amplified by personal milestones. Stewart, substituting for his wife, Leah Pruett, a 12-time Top Fuel winner who stepped away to focus on their family, shared the Victory Lane spotlight with their five-month-old son, Dominic. “When Leah brought Dom up on the stage, my heart stopped,” Stewart said, describing an unprecedented emotional high. The win, dedicated to the Rayce Rudeen Foundation and marred by the recent loss of friends and family, including Rusty Rush’s wife, Jenny, underscored the team’s resilience after a challenging 2024 season marked by inconsistent car setups.
Stewart’s NHRA triumph drew parallels to his 2009 NASCAR All-Star Race win with Stewart-Haas Racing, a team he co-founded. Reflecting on both victories, he emphasized their significance for his team, not just himself. “It was about the guys and the people we had put together,” he said, recalling the collective pride of overcoming doubters. However, Stewart’s post-race announcement about his NASCAR future stole headlines. In an interview with Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, he unequivocally ruled out returning as a team owner, stating, “I am not going to own a team in NASCAR ever again.” This follows the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, which won championships in 2011 and 2014 but faced sponsorship losses. Despite speculation about a comeback with Dodge’s planned 2026 NASCAR Truck Series program, Stewart firmly closed that door, though he pledged support for Dodge’s efforts.
Yet, Stewart isn’t severing ties with NASCAR entirely. On SiriusXM Radio, he revealed plans to attend races as a NASCAR Hall of Famer, leveraging his “hard card” access to reconnect with the community. “I miss the people most of all,” he said, expressing eagerness to maintain relationships forged over decades. This balance—embracing NHRA while staying connected to NASCAR’s roots—highlights Stewart’s enduring passion for racing. As he eyes the NHRA’s 1,000th Top Fuel race at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway, Stewart’s historic win and candid announcements signal a new chapter for the motorsport legend, one defined by family, legacy, and an unrelenting drive to compete.
