Antron Brown totally crushed it to start the 2025 season. He grabbed the Top Fuel title at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 9, 2025, right at Gainesville Raceway. It’s his first win since 2022, breaking a long drought with a solid beatdown of Shawn Langdon in the final round. Driving his Matco Tools Toyota, Brown clocked an outstanding 3.698 seconds at 335.57 mph, showing off how sharp his team is under pressure. However, this wasn’t even the highlight of the weekend!

The 2025 NHRA season started on a rough note marked by chilly weather, track challenges, and unexpected rain delays. However, NASCAR and NHRA fans won’t believe what else went down at the Gatornationals. Bob Tasca, Funny Car driver and team owner, and Tony Stewart’s fierce competitor, unleashed a scathing rant on FOX Sports during the NHRA broadcast.

From NASCAR to NHRA, FOX remains under fire

FOX has had a long partnership with NHRA, starting in 2016 and extended in 2021, broadcasting 20 races yearly on FOX or FS1. But this did not bother Bob Tasca after their recent actions frustrated him. He felt a responsibility towards protecting his fans and drivers for whom NHRA is the ultimate speed king. Tony Stewart hasn’t commented on the matter yet, but he must be watching these chain events as they heat up.

Tasca called out FOX for claiming IndyCar is “the fastest motorsport” in their preseason ads, saying it disrespects NHRA drag racing fans and drivers. His scathing rant came after his drive at Gainesville. “I should be talking about that run right now, but really for me, I gotta call out FOX Sports. You know all winter long, we heard about the fastest motorsports on the planet… The truth is, it’s an insult to our fans and to the drivers for FOX to go on TV and say the fastest motorsports in the world, and it’s IndyCar? Come on now! I didn’t think it was fake news network on FOX,” he snapped, leaving everyone stunned.

Kelly Crandall, a motorsports journalist, broke the story on X, writing, “Holy s—. Bob Tasca went IN on Fox Sports for presenting IndyCar as the fastest motorsport during its preseason advertising. Tasca says it’s disrespectful and he didn’t know they were the fake news network. Fox Sports is also the broadcast partner of NHRA.” Tasca posted on X, doubling down: “I said what I said.”

Tasca’s not wrong, as NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Cars hit speeds and power levels IndyCar can’t touch. This is the man who hit an unofficial NHRA Funny Car speed of 341.68 mph at the PRO event in Bradenton. His February 2024 run was not recognized by NHRA due to the unsanctioned event, and Tasca, in his Ford Mustang, doubts if he’ll ever reach 350 mph. Robert Hight’s official NHRA record stands at 339.87 mph from 2017. Meanwhile, the highest recorded speed for an IndyCar is 237.498 mph, paling in comparison to the NHRA. This speed was achieved by Arie Luyendyk in 1996 during the Indy 500.

Well, Tasca is not alone when it comes to his series being a victim of FOX’s IndyCar favoritism. NASCAR fans have also been vocal about FOX’s practices, and for them, it started with the promotional videos. Leading up to the Daytona 500, FOX broadcasted a short commercial to ‘hype’ the Daytona 500, which involved a montage of a few old clips of Dale Earnhardt’s victory and other iconic wins. Nothing too special. However, their IndyCar commercials were significantly better in terms of production.

With slick cuts, catchy voiceovers, and witty humor, IndyCar seems to have taken over the priorities for FOX after their full-time deal with NASCAR was revised following the new media rights deal as FOX signed a full-time deal with IndyCar. This deal saw NASCAR partner with The CW, Prime Video, and other networks to broadcast various races in 2025. NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck also chimed in when the promo was aired, writing on X, “This ad is further evidence Fox is really, really going all out for its first year of IndyCar. This is a terrific attention-grabber and exposure.”

Tasca’s outburst is another skid mark for FOX’s reputation within its series, outside of IndyCar. But it was the emotion with which Tasca delivered his views that sparked debate. Some say FOX’s ad was sloppy, others think he overreacted. But one thing’s clear: NHRA fans feel seen, and Tasca’s voice echoed their frustration. While Tasca is standing up for the NHRA fans, his rival, Tony Stewart, is enjoying a positive development for his team.

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Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett celebrate big Dodge deal for NHRA team

Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett are thrilled about a new multi-year deal with Dodge for their Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) NHRA team. The agreement keeps Dodge supporting their Top Fuel and Funny Car race cars, which is a tremendous boost for the organization. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champ and NHRA team owner, signed the extension at the Route 66 Raceway on May 19, 2024.

Tony Stewart races in the Top Fuel class, taking over from Pruett, who stepped away in 2024 after announcing her pregnancy. Pruett now supports the team off the track. “It’s huge for us in our organization,” Stewart said, praising Dodge’s support since TSR began in 2022. He added, “Dodge was the first group that came and was excited to be part of it. They’ve given us resources and encouragement to do this right.”

Pruett added, “We believe in what Dodge brings to the table.” The partnership includes backing from Dodge, Mopar, and Direct Connection. This will help TSR to field two nitro-burning cars in the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series. The deal strengthens TSR’s position as a top NHRA team. Dodge’s CEO, Matt McAlear, called TSR “an elite, winning organization,” solidifying the partnership’s importance.

Funny Car driver Matt Hagan aims for more wins after the 2023 championship with this development. While the 3-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion is racing full-time in Top Fuel to gain experience after his rookie season in the NHRA, this multi-year commitment ensures TSR has the support to compete at the highest level, starting strong at events like the Gatornationals. Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett see it as a game-changer for their racing future.