The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Sept. 12-15 at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pennsylvania, is the 15th race on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race schedule. It’s the opening round in the six-race Countdown to the Championship, where both Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers – Tony Stewart in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car – are ready to make a title run in their respective divisions. The top-10 drivers in each of the NHRA’s four professional categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – compete in the Countdown. Stewart is a Top Fuel rookie and Hagan is a 51-time Funny Car winner and four-time champion.
Tony Stewart, Driver of the Rinnai Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster
The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals starts the 2024 Countdown to the Championship. You earned two wins at Maple Grove raceway in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. Does your success in that class there give you even more confidence heading into the opening round of the six-race Countdown?
“I wish it gave me more confidence, but unfortunately, the alcohol class is just a different class than Top Fuel. We just need to keep building off the momentum from the last two events. I feel like we’re in the best position we’ve been in this season, so it’s perfect timing starting the Countdown.”
Your team has shown strong performance these past couple races and you’ve touched upon the fact you feel you really have a competitive car to close out this season. In addition, wife Leah Pruett advanced to the Semifinals in last year’s Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in TSR’s Top Fuel Dragster. What momentum does that give the team?
“I feel like it really gives a morale boost to the team more than anything. It’s really easy to lose focus and not be excited about your job when things aren’t going right week after week. But, the last three events have been building that momentum and the team’s morale is way higher now. It’s that time in the season where you can’t have any kind of mistakes, so having the team morale high and having confidence knowing that we have a good race car is a very valuable key and a valuable tool for all of us going into the Countdown now.”
Matt Hagan, Driver of the Operation Healing Forces/Shelor Motor Mile Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car
The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals begins your Ride to Five (Championships). What is your mindset heading into Maple Grove Raceway, being third in the Funny car standings and knowing back-to-back championships is attainable for you and your team?
“Reading is always special because it is always fast. It kicks off the Countdown to the Championship. I’ve always done well at Maple Grove Raceway and my first race took place there in 2008. The weather is good, the cars are fast, and the track is good. Kenny Koretsky does a great job with the place. They’re racers and they love to support the atmosphere and environment. Rolling in there and trying to kick off the Ride to Five is big. We have some work to do as a team and I have some work to do as a driver. (Austin) Prock is on a different planet right now. The kid is cutting .050 lights (reaction time) and they’re running faster than anyone out here. It’s a tall order to fill, but it’s obtainable. Anything can happen and that’s why we race them on Sunday. If someone could win them all, they would. But they can’t, and that’s why we show up. We will work hard and dig deep and put all we’ve got into these next six races. We need to have a lot of focus and drive to do the best we can. I want to get there and stay focused and do my job. I know my guys will go do their job, so we’ll see what we can get done.”
You’re carrying the Operation Healing Forces/Shelor Motor Mile colors this weekend. How special is it representing our Nation’s heroes, as well as your dad’s company, on your Funny Car?
“Running Operation Healing Forces is really cool. I’ve been spending more time with them on the side getting to know their ins and outs. My dad is a veteran, so it related to him. He wanted to get involved in a foundation that he believes in and stands behind. It makes me proud to be able to carry their colors and I hope we can put them in the winner’s circle for the first time.”
Tony Stewart Racing | Photos: TSR
