The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway serves as the 13th event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race calendar.
Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two full-time entries – one in Top Fuel for Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart and one in Funny Car for 51-time Funny Car winner and four-time champion Matt Hagan – to the second-to-last race of the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship begins Sept. 13-15 with the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
Tony Stewart, Driver of the Mahindra Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster
You’re coming off your first final-round appearance at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals. What confidence does that give you and the crew with two races remaining in the regular season prior to the Countdown to the Championship?
“I’m not sure it really gains a lot of confidence for us, but it was a morale boost that the team obviously needed. Seattle didn’t go anywhere near how we were hoping it would and we really just made small gains as Sonoma. But, it was a big morale boost being able to make the final round and our guys have done a really good job keeping their heads up through the adversity that we’re fighting right now with the race car. It was a good reward for those guys to get to the Finals, so it was good for all of us from that standpoint.”
While the NHRA had two weeks off, you competed in another regional event in the Top Alcohol Dragster at the Night Under Fire. How does that help you stay fresh behind the wheel?
“I’ve always been the race car driver that if I had a night off or a weekend off, I always found something to race and that’s just the passion I have for motorsports and as a race car driver. Being a drag racer now is no different, so having the opportunity to go race with Pops (Rich McPhillips) and Richie McPhillips and run the regional at Norwalk is absolutely what I try to do all the time. I always want to be in a race car as much as possible. Having two weekends off before we go to Brainerd, I feel like it does help me stay sharp and help me stay focused by being able to fill that in with a drag race.”
You’re representing Mahindra tractors for their first race as primary sponsor in the NHRA. How special will it be sporting their colors, given your relationship with them in the NASCAR Cup Series?
“We’ve got a great relationship with Mahindra tractors and it’s nice to bring them to the drag racing side with us this weekend. They have been excellent to work with and we don’t call it sponsorships, but rather partnerships because I feel like we’re really good partners together and we’re a good fit for each other. They’re coming over to another form of motorsports and being in Brainerd, I feel like the demographic is a great fit for them. I’m proud to have them on the car. I never had the chance to really run a Mahindra car with the NASCAR side, so I’m proud that I finally get to drive a race car with Mahindra colors on it and hopefully will have a better weekend than what we’ve been having here recently. Hopefully we can build off the momentum and try to do some great things with them, but I know they’re going to be very active at Brainerd and we’re all looking forward to having them part of our program at TSR.”
Matt Hagan, Driver of the American Rebel Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car
Following Q1 at Brainerd, you’ll lock yourself into the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. What mindset does that allow you to have with two races remaining in the regular season?
“Locking ourselves into the Countdown is always huge. You have to be in it to win it. The biggest thing with running for a championship is you have to win a couple of those races. You have to be in that mental space to go into battle. We have some work to do. We’ve won a couple races this year, which has been great, but we still need to win a couple more along the way. We have to go into the Countdown with a nothing-to-lose mentality. Points reset so to speak, so we have nothing to lose and can swing for the fence. We have to be aggressive. That’s what Dickie (Venables – crew chief) and I talked about last year when we entered the Countdown. There were several races that we knew we had to be on the next level and he was the same way with me. I had to be on the next level with my lights. We have to have the mindset that we’re going out there to set world records. That’s sometimes hard to do, but at the end of the day, I know we’re capable of that. We have the right parts and pieces, it’s just a matter of applying it for the conditions we’re in.”
You’re representing American Rebel Beer for their first race as primary sponsor in the NHRA. However, you have an existing relationship with Andy Ross and American Rebel. How special will it be sporting their colors at Brainerd?
“I’m honored to represent American Rebel because it’s a company I believe in and that I’ve personally invested in. Andy (Ross – CEO) is a great guy. He’s kind of like Jason Johnson from JHG because we all click and get along really well together. It makes it easy to represent the brand. Andy was along for the championship ride last year and wanted to do more, so I’m very proud to represent them. Aside from American Rebel Beer, there’s still the American Rebel side of things and we want to sell safes for them also. I’m proud and excited to represent their brand.”
Tony Stewart Racing
