Tony Stewart’s Historic NHRA Triumph Signals a New Chapter After NASCAR Exit
Tony Stewart, the racing icon known as “Smoke,” has once again defied expectations, clinching his first NHRA Top Fuel victory at the 4-Wide Nationals on April 13, 2025, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This monumental win, achieved with a blistering 3.870-second run at 317.42 mph, marks Stewart as the first driver to secure professional victories across NASCAR, IndyCar, USAC, and NHRA Top Fuel, cementing his legacy as one of motorsport’s most versatile talents. Coming just months after his departure from NASCAR team ownership, this triumph not only underscores his adaptability but also amplifies his critique of NASCAR’s direction, making his return to the sport’s garage as a passionate figure all the more intriguing.
Stewart’s victory over reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, and Jasmine Salinas was a chaotic, high-stakes affair, with explosions and mechanical failures plaguing his rivals. The 53-year-old, who transitioned to drag racing in 2022, described the win as “unreal,” reflecting on the steep learning curve of NHRA compared to his rapid successes in other disciplines. “Everything in my career, I never had to wait over a year to win a race,” Stewart said, highlighting the five-year journey to this milestone. His emotional celebration with wife Leah Pruett and infant son Dominic, born in November 2024, added a personal layer to the victory, with Pruett’s guidance as a former Top Fuel star proving instrumental. Stewart’s dragster, adorned with the Rayce Rudeen Foundation colors, also honored causes like addiction recovery, while he dedicated the win to recently deceased members of the racing community, including Jenny Rush and Brian Landgraf’s father.
This NHRA success follows Stewart’s exit from NASCAR after Stewart-Haas Racing shuttered in 2024, a move prompted by his frustration with the sport’s evolving landscape. On SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Stewart voiced disappointment with NASCAR’s charter system and corporate direction, stating, “What it was when I started and where it’s at now, I don’t necessarily agree with it.” Yet, his Hall of Fame status grants him garage access, and he plans to return as a paddock regular, drawn by the people and relationships he cherishes. This NHRA win, likened by Stewart to his 2009 NASCAR All-Star Race victory with a fledgling Stewart-Haas team, underscores his knack for proving doubters wrong. “It was about the guys and the people we had put together,” he said, drawing parallels to the team effort behind his Las Vegas triumph.
Stewart’s Las Vegas win is historic not only for its cross-discipline significance but also for completing his sweep of all four Las Vegas Motor Speedway tracks, including NASCAR, USAC, and NHRA events. Finishing ninth in 2024 Top Fuel standings and earning NHRA Rookie of the Year honors, Stewart now sits second in points, just 16 points behind leader Shawn Langdon. His rapid rise in drag racing, despite its stark contrast to oval racing, showcases his relentless drive. “As much as I want to manipulate the car, I can’t do that here,” he admitted, emphasizing the unique challenges of straight-line racing.
As Stewart eyes the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte on April 25-27, his NASCAR return looms large. Will his presence spark mentorship or reignite debates about the sport’s future? For now, his NHRA victory sends a clear message: Stewart’s passion for racing burns brighter than ever, and NASCAR’s garage just got a lot more interesting.
