The Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the second-to-last race on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race schedule and it is the fifth round in the six-race Countdown to the Championship. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car) are both in the Countdown, with 2024 marking Stewart’s first appearance in the NHRA postseason and Hagan’s 13th.
Stewart is 10th in the Top Fuel standings heading into Las Vegas, 241 points behind championship leader Justin Ashley. Hagan is third in the Funny Car standings, 168 points behind leader Austin Prock. Hagan is a four-time champion (2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023).
Tony Stewart, Driver of the TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster
In the series’ last event at Dallas, Hagan earned the Funny Car team’s third win of the season. What morale boost does that give the team heading into Las Vegas?
“Anytime you’re coming off of a win, it’s big for the team. It’s big for the whole organization with those guys having a solid weekend. It builds momentum going into these last two events for the Funny Car side.”
You’ll be testing at Las Vegas after the NHRA Nevada Nationals. How valuable will that track day be as you start to prepare for the season finale in Pomona?
“Testing is always valuable if you are learning something from it. We’ve tested a lot this year and we have learned a lot. It just hasn’t allowed us to put the whole package together. We have one more opportunity in Vegas, so hopefully it will give us a better opportunity when we get to Pomona to put forth a solid effort.”
Matt Hagan, Driver of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car
In the series’ last event at Dallas, you earned your 52nd career victory and your third of the 2024 season. What’s your confidence level heading into Las Vegas?
“I think confidence going to Vegas is good. Obviously, we have two more races we can win for Dodge and we’re very capable of that. (Austin) Prock said he’s not invincible and they can go out in early rounds. Everybody keeps talking about a shot. It is a shot, but it’s a long shot (at winning the championship). I’ve seen all of the crazy stuff happen, so we just have to be ready and prepared to roll into Vegas and do well. That’s the game plan and we’ll see what happens.”
You’ll be testing at Las Vegas after the NHRA Nevada Nationals. How valuable will that track day be as you start to prepare for the season finale in Pomona?
“Vegas always makes me scratch my brain about testing there because you’re halfway to Denver with altitude. I think it’s just a good chance for the crew chiefs to scratch their brains before the off season and try something that they might want to right before we go Spring testing. I don’t know how much it really relates to Pomona, but you can never have bad test sessions. Every time you hit the pedal and fire the thing up, you learn something. Anytime you can make runs down a race track, you’re going to learn.”
Tony Stewart Racing
