“My Little Big Brother”: Emotional Tony Stewart Sends Message to 2023 NHRA Funny Car Champion Matt Hagan

Away from the Cup Series, it looks like Tony Stewart has found joy and celebration at last! As the year-end nears, Stewart earns consecutive championships in two weeks—Cole Custer in Xfinity and now Matt Hagan in NHRA. The latter gave Tony Stewart Racing its first world championship at the 58th NHRA Finals at Pomona Dogstrip.

Tony Stewart voices his vote of thanks for an incredible season

Matt Hagan won his 4th world championship in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat. In the same light, crediting his success to the people around him, Tony Stewart penned down his emotions on Twitter. He wrote, “This past Sunday might have been one of the most emotional days I’ve ever had in Motorsports. So proud of @MattHagan_FC and everyone at @TSRnitro.

“Matt is one of the best cheerleaders for a racing team that I know. He never lets his crew guys get down. He makes my job so much easier as a car owner. He is my little big brother. It was an incredible day to lock this championship already in the TSR history books.”

On a separate note, the first-ever full-time NHRA season started with a blast and proceeded on a somewhat sour note. Earlier this year, Stewart won his first-ever NHRA national event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Yet, the Hall of Famer fell mini-seconds short of becoming the first driver ever to claim championships in NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA.

Further, Tony Stewart’s wife, Leah Pruett, who is also the only female champion in the short history of the class, returned to Pomona this weekend as a title contender. Although Pruett was one of the many formidable drivers for the Top Fuel championship, Doug Kalitta knocked off Leah Pruett in a winner-take-all final round. After Leah’s defeat, looks like Matt Hagan saved the day for TSR and the team. Adding more praise for a commendable Top Fuel drag racing season from his wife, the 52-year-old further added,

“I’m also so proud of my wife @LeahPruett_TF . She’s had an incredible season and advanced to the finals on Sunday fighting for a championship. To finish 1-2-3 this year is just awesome. Matt first in Funny Car, myself second in TAD with McPhillips Racing and Leah third in Top Fuel.”

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Inspiration of the 2023 NHRA champion that led him to the ‘Elite Group of Drivers’

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As the 2011, 2014, 2020, and 2023 NHRA Funny Car World Champion stood at the top end of the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, awaiting Robert Hight’s race against eventual event winner Chad Green and ultimately his own fate, he said, “We really want to win this championship. You hate to sit here and hope somebody else loses. You want to go out there and just turn four win lights on and get it done.”

Joining 16-time champ John Force, four-time champ Kenny Bernstein, and four-time champ Don Prudhomme, Matt Hagan became the fourth driver to win three or more Funny Car World Championships. Further, the 40-year-old racer has many elite records to his name, including the record to break the 3.800 E/T barrier with a 3.799 at 338.77 MPH pass at Lucas Oil Raceway.

Read more: Tony Stewart’s Cup Series Misery Could Continue in 2024 Despite SHR’s Revamp

While Hagan closed his 2023 season with six victories in eight final rounds, a 41-15 record in eliminations, and induction into the “Elite group of drivers” with Josh Force, Kenny Bernstein, and Don Prudhomme, it will be interesting to see how Tony Stewart, his new sponsors, and new strategies will emerge in 2024.