BRISTOL, Tenn. — In a 12 months of firsts for racing legend Tony Stewart, the High Gasoline factors chief added two extra on Saturday at Bristol Dragway.
Stewart picked up his first profession No. 1 qualifier and successful the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem specialty race for the primary time in the course of the twenty fourth annual Tremendous Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
J.R. Todd (Humorous Automotive), Aaron Stanfield (Professional Inventory) and Gaige Herrera (Professional Inventory Motorbike) additionally gained the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem, whereas Austin Prock (Humorous Automotive), Dallas Glenn (Professional Inventory) and Brayden Davis (Professional Inventory Motorbike) certified No. 1 on the eighth of 20 races in the course of the 2025 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season.
Within the closing of the specialty race in opposition to Doug Kalitta, Stewart went a powerful 3.803-seconds at 324.05 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Storage dragster to cap off an exhilarating day for the NASCAR Corridor of Famer. It snapped Kalitta Motorsports’ High Gasoline undefeated streak within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem this 12 months as nicely, as that they had remarkably gained the primary six of the season.
However Saturday in Thunder Valley belonged to Stewart, as he additionally certified No. 1 for the primary time in his High Gasoline profession, going a powerful 3.755 at 325.77 in the course of the first session of the day. Making a pair of constant passes might bode nicely for Sunday, too, as Stewart seems so as to add to his spectacular streak. Together with a pair of wins this 12 months, Stewart has superior to 5 straight closing rounds and can open eliminations on Sunday in opposition to Cody Krohn, searching for his first NHRA win at Bristol.
“That is nice, clearly. We’ve been within the closing of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem and haven’t been capable of end it. Now, to win one and get our first low qualifier is large,” Stewart mentioned. “For our workforce it’s an enormous accomplishment. We hold checking containers off. We’ve bought a automotive that’s repeatable and constant.
“We’ve bought tough circumstances out right here. I do know quite a lot of work has gone on right here of since final 12 months and I recognize the trouble that Bristol has put into it. That performs into our palms. We don’t have a automotive that may go 3.64 or that runs 340-mph. I’m really inspired about final week. In Epping, we had been capable of throw down and we had been respectable. To see what we did in these circumstances, we really feel like our program is simply getting stronger and stronger.”
Justin Ashley certified second with a 3.762 at 330.80 and Shawn Langdon took the third spot due to Friday’s run of three.800 at 328.54.
In Humorous Automotive, J.R. Todd continued to select up steam after final weekend’s win in Epping, securing his first victory of the 12 months within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem with a run of 4.004 at 326.24 in his 12,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra to defeat Jack Beckman. It’s one other welcome signal for the previous world champion, as Todd and his workforce, led by crew chief Dickie Venables, made two stable runs on Saturday in ever-changing climate circumstances.
He took down Alexis DeJoria within the opening spherical of the bonus race with a 3.987 after which raced previous Beckman within the closing as Todd seems to go on a sizzling streak throughout a busy stretch in June. It additionally ensured Kalitta Motorsports has secured a win at each Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem occasion in 2025.
“I’ve mentioned all alongside the extra runs we make the extra information Dickie [Venables] can acquire. You’ll be able to’t study for those who don’t go down the tack. We simply didn’t put a time line on it. However the automotive has been making an attempt to run nicely for some time going again to Chicago,” Todd mentioned.
“As we speak, we wished to run higher than 4.00, however silly issues occurred, particularly yesterday. The automotive is responding to what Dickie is making an attempt to do with it. That is undoubtedly the monitor with essentially the most character. You need to combat the automotive from half-track on. We’ve additionally needed to dodge the climate. Hopefully, tomorrow the climate holds off.”
Bristol Dragway continues to be good to defending occasion winner Austin Prock, who certified No. 1 in Thunder Valley for the second straight 12 months in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Instruments Chevrolet SS, going 3.931 at 328.30. It’s the third No. 1 spot of the season for Prock and twenty first in his profession as he seems for a powerful back-to-back at Bristol.
He made the quickest run in each classes amidst tough circumstances on Saturday and Prock will open race day in opposition to Buddy Hull, who scored the upset win in spherical one over the defending world champion final weekend in Epping.
“We got here out in the present day on a mission and made two good runs. Our Q3 run was unimaginable,” Prock mentioned. “The success charge in the proper lane was small however we went to the highest. We ran low [E.T.] of each classes, picked up six factors, and had low E.T. and that makes us really feel good going into Sunday.
“Final week we had extra of an edge. This time, there are much more vehicles near us and the ladder stacking is tight. We had all 4 seasons right here in the present day. The climate modified each 5 minutes. It’s tough however I’m trying ahead to tomorrow.”
Alexis DeJoria certified second with a 3.948 at 328.14 and Ron Capps’ 3.960 at 324.51 from Friday places him third.
Professional Inventory’s Aaron Stanfield victory within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem marked one other step in Elite Motorsports’ turnaround, as Stanfield went 6.668 at 204.85 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Storage automotive to slide previous Matt Hartford by a razor-thin margin on the end line. Hartford was after his fourth specialty race win up to now 5 occasions, however Stanfield bought one of the best of him to gather a much-needed victory.
“This does really feel good. It’s the very first thing we’ve gained all 12 months,” Stanfield mentioned. “That was a extremely good race in opposition to Matt and it reveals how arduous the Elite guys have labored and the way a lot they’ve sacrificed. Hopefully we will get slightly momentum rolling. Our guys are getting us to inside preventing distance.
“This meant quite a bit. To win the #2Fast2Tasty Problem, it regarded like we’d gained the entire race. We’re shut sufficient to do some harm. We simply must hold working.”
Dallas Glenn stayed within the No. 1 spot, incomes the GESi Professional Inventory No. 1 Qualifier Award within the course of due to Friday’s run of 6.645 at 205.60 in his RAD Torque Programs Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the seventh profession high qualifier for Glenn, who has already gained three races this season. He’ll look to make it a fourth, opening eliminations in opposition to Fernando Cuadra Jr.
“Our final run was a very nice run however we’re nonetheless simply choosing away at it. The circumstances are tough so it was nice to exit on the final one and put down a extremely stable run. We put about .018-second on the sector and that’s fairly substantial in Professional Inventory. I knew it was on a superb one, and I simply tried to not mess it up,” Glenn mentioned.
“After so many runs, you’ll be able to inform whenever you’re on a superb one. It picks the entrance find yourself and units you again within the seat, after which whenever you hit the primary couple of shift factors, that are essentially the most crucial, it’s going to be good, and that one was.”
Greg Anderson is second with a run of 6.652 at 205.98 and Hartford took third after going an an identical 6.652 at 203.98.
Brayden Davis continued his magnificent weekend in Professional Inventory Motorbike, choosing up his first profession No. 1 qualifier in simply his second NHRA begin with a standout run of 6.834 at 197.59 on a Powertrain/RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He was one of the best bike on Friday and bought challenged on Saturday, however lowered the increase to finish the day with a standout run. It was a surreal second for the younger Davis, who confirmed his expertise on a powerful bike.
“It’s arduous to even imagine to come back out right here and run with one of the best of one of the best,” Davis mentioned. “Coming in right here, I knew I had a superb bike, and it was left as much as me to see how nicely I might journey. Truthfully, earlier than my first run, I used to be nervous. Me and Andrew [Hines crew chief] are getting nearer. Earlier than the final move, he mentioned it’s going to hit me slightly tougher, and if it makes it you’re going to the highest. I undoubtedly might really feel the distinction.
“It’s going to be a dogfight tomorrow and I’m prepared for it.”
Teammate Richard Gadson is at the moment second with a 6.859 at 197.62 and Matt Smith is third due to a run of 6.871 at 199.46.
Herrera, the back-to-back world champion, gained the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem for the second time this season, going 6.891 at 196.30 on his RevZilla/Mission Meals/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat Steve Johnson, who bumped into bother virtually instantly. He was thrilled with the win, whereas additionally having fun with seeing Davis’ success on Saturday as nicely.
“It’s superior seeing him doing so nicely. I may be taking that bike again for tomorrow. He’s younger and doing an exceptional job,” Davis mentioned. “For Brayden to qualify No. 1 and me to get the Mission win, it’s superior for the entire Vance & Hines workforce. It’s wonderful what our guys are capable of do with three totally different bikes.”
