READING, Pa. — Heading into this weekend’s fortieth annual NHRA Studying Nationals introduced by Nitro Fish at Maple Grove Raceway, racing legend Tony Stewart has already loved a number of firsts this 12 months.
There was the primary profession High Gasoline win in Las Vegas (adopted by a second win in Chicago), a primary No. 1 qualifier, main the factors for the primary time and profitable the primary NHRA regular-season championship.
However there’s nonetheless two massive firsts Stewart might nonetheless accomplish this 12 months – a win within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs and, in the end, a High Gasoline world title. The primary – a playoff victory – might occur this weekend on the historic monitor, which might put Stewart in a robust place to proceed to contend for a championship in his 12,000-horsepower Dodge//Direct Connection dragster.
Because the playoffs begin this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway, Stewart already is aware of how essential each second is from this level on.
“Actually, each time you tow that automotive to the road, it issues,” Stewart mentioned. “We have now to deal with it prefer it’s a spherical of eliminations. No matter factors can be found, we simply need to exit and get them. The eye to element issues much more than it usually does. Crew guys double-checking one another’s work, crew chiefs reminding us about spots on the racetrack, all these little nice particulars completely matter probably the most in these final six weeks. These final six weeks, we’re all simply going to battle our guts out attempting to get all the pieces we are able to get, as a result of we all know how a lot it issues.”
Final season, Antron Brown (High Gasoline), Austin Prock (Humorous Automobile), Aaron Stanfield (Professional Inventory) and Hector Arana Jr. (Professional Inventory Bike) all claimed wins of their respective classes, with Brown and Prock ending the season as world champions.
It’s the fifteenth of 20 races throughout the 2025 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season and the primary of six occasions within the Countdown to the Championship.
The depth and pleasure on the legendary facility might be noticeable, too, and Stewart is assured he and his group might be prepared. After all, he’ll additionally need to take care of the likes of previous champs Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, Brittany Power and Steve Torrence, and reigning world champion Antron Brown.
However the second and the chance have Stewart excited and he’s ready to battle with the elite in High Gasoline because the championship race begins in Studying and performs out over the following six races.
“We’ve acquired guys which are turning the wrenches and twisting the knobs on the vehicles, and in the end in additional management of the vehicles than we’re at this level,” Stewart mentioned. “So, we’re all doing our jobs, and it’s only a matter of attempting to place collectively six actually good weekends in a row and figuring out that in the event you stub your toe, you simply need to rebound from it and get the blokes centered on the following alternative.
“Hopefully, by the point we get to Pomona on the finish of the season, we’re able to be combating for this factor. You don’t care the way you get there, you simply care that on the finish of the day they’re supplying you with the massive verify and the massive trophy.”
