Tony Stewart’s NHRA Star Left in the Dust as Drag Racing Rival Shatters 338.94 Mph World Record

Breaking records in the NHRA is not new. And this time, Bob Tasca III has become the latest driver to cross the Top Fuel class speed benchmark. The Motorcraft/Quicklane Ford Mustang Funny Car driver beat Brittany Force’s previous record of 338.94 mph as he reached the top speed of 339.87 mph. The feat also coincided with the first outing of the PRO Superstar Shootout drag racing competition.

As he made history, Tasca beat John Force in the Funny Car qualifying session. This eventually made him the fastest driver on the grid and about 7.3 mph faster than his nearest rival. On the other hand, Tony Stewart Racing driver and NHRA Funny Car defending champion Matt Hagan watched his title rival blitz past and break the existing record by almost 1 mph.

Bob Tasca III has a knack of making NHRA records

In the duel against Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III started on equal footing. As the Christmas Tree turned green, both the drivers started strongly. However, as Tony Stewart mentioned in his conversation on Bubba Clem’s podcast, a tire shake imbalanced Hagan’s car and the TSR car wobbled on the straight. Capitalizing on that moment, Bob Tasca III sped past his rival.

Tasca also recorded 3.840 E.T compared to the 9th-placed Hagan, who had 4.114 E.T and a top speed of 273.770 mph. While Tasca cleared the top speed record of Brittany Force, his elapsed time is still higher by 0.2 seconds. On another note, this is not the first time Bob Tasca III has earned records in the NHRA circuit. 11 years ago, Tasca became the first Ford driver to run under four seconds with his 3.988-second pass.

In 2021, Tasca set his sights on a different competition as he shifted from NHRA to the electric-vehicle drag racing circuit. However, he didn’t fail to leave his mark and ran the Mustang Cobra Het 1400 with a top speed of 171.97 mph and elapsed time of 8.12 secs.

Bob Tasca III’s latest record-breaking performance is a statement of intent from the experienced driver. Having chased Matt Hagan for the Funny Car championship last year, he has returned to the competition with a bolstered arsenal. The PRO Superstar Shootout evening was also a special occasion for Tony Stewart and Co. since it was his wife, Leah Pruett’s sole Top Fuel appearance in 2024.

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A farewell appearance for Leah Pruett

Having announced and explained her temporary break from NHRA racing, Leah Pruett was hungry to shine in her only chance of 2024. While she won’t be gracing the asphalt, Pruett will serve as Tony Stewart Racing’s coach and strategist. It is an excellent addition to the team, considering Pruett’s experience of more than a decade of drag racing.

Speaking about her expectations from the PRO Superstar Shootout opening night, Pruett claimed. “We showed we have what it takes to perform at the highest level last year.”

“That confidence is used as building blocks moving forward. I want to experience it all at the PRO event – being with the team, working on new projects, dusting driving cobwebs off, all while engaging with fans that feel it’s their last time to see me racing. But it’s not as if I won’t be around the track all year. It’s just going to be a lot to take in this week.”

Leah Pruett will be replaced by the capable hands of Tony Stewart, who will pilot the Dodge/SRT Top Fuel car to begin his second full-time season in NHRA. Having finished second in the Top Alcohol class last year, 2024 could be the year to add another title to his versatile trophy cabinet. The PRO Superstar Shootout weekend is also offering a top prize of $250,000 after a chance to win it all at the All-Star event. Leah Pruett has set her eyes on that, wanting to leave on a winning note.

“I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation that has been surviving without a meal for months and is ready to eat,” Pruett revealed. “We’re hungry and a win this early in the season is great for our organization and the crew members. PRO is putting up big money and we want to capitalize on it this week.”

With the hunger to win in NHRA still alive in Pruett, Tony Stewart Racing will depend a lot on her. Pruett was also close to challenging for the Top Fuel title last year and fell out of contention in the penultimate round. Can she turn it around as a coach for TSR? If everything goes right, why not?

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