Tony Stewart Reveals the Thing He “Loves the Most About the NHRA” as He Prepares for His Full Time Debut

When Tony Stewart announced his full-time entry as wife Leah Pruett’s replacement in the NHRA drag racing series, the NASCAR community was split by his decision. Especially after Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2023 Cup Series campaign landed short of the desired outcome with a winless season. Whilst Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick’s departure plagued the team’s Cup Series result, there’s a lot to be desired from the NHRA series that Tony Stewart just can’t shake off.

It may surprise many that the team boss will put it all on the line in 2024, but Tony Stewart’s one dream is to compete for as long as his 85-year-old father has. With Leah Pruett taking a backseat to raise a family with Stewart, the Indiana native is eager to show everyone he’s got what it takes. However, not just the on-track action has attracted the 52-year-old to the drag series.

Tony Stewart believes the NHRA is the best series for a fan to visit

Speaking to Joseph Castello for Race Industry Week, Stewart shared just why the NHRA series caught his eye. According to the Smoke, competition keeps getting tougher and tougher in the Top Fuel class and that’s what has somewhat fuelled his fire for the drag series. But more so than the on-track shenanigans, Stewart believes the NHRA’s key strength lies in the access fans have around the track.

He shared, “That is exactly one of the biggest things I love about NHRA is the fact that, for a fan to buy a ticket, they buy their ticket and they literally can go anywhere but the starting line. Fans are able to somewhat, a little bit mill around in the staging lanes when the drivers are getting in the cars.” Stewart went on to explain how fans can even enter the pit area in the NHRA series, a privilege fans of other categories seldom get.

The 52-year-old brought up a stark contrast to the dirt-track racing categories, “In dirt-track racing for example, you can buy a pit pass on top of it, you know, and the pit pass is more expensive than the reserve seats or general admission seats in the grandstands but for one ticket in the NHRA, you get your seat and you get to go in the pits and you get to watch the drivers, the crews interact.” 

In a series like NHRA, fans get an inside look at how engine builders get a motor ready in an astounding 40 minutes. And that’s not all, Stewart believes the NHRA races stimulate all the fans’ senses, an experience unlike any other – “So to see that show and see it in the pits and you know for the fans to see the warm-ups and smell the Nitro. Hear how much power these cars have just idling in the pit area as they do their warm-ups. It’s an experience you literally could not get in any other form of motorsport.”

READ MORE: Tony Stewart Describes the “Dream Scenario” in His NHRA Career Despite Wife Leah Pruett Coming Short of the Title

It’s clear from Tony Stewart’s enthusiasm that the NASCAR community must visit an NHRA race to find the kind of magical empire Stewart talks about. However, that’s not all The Smoke has in store for fans.

It’s a long road ahead for Stewart in 2024

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2023 was a year in which the NHRA and Tony Stewart were as synonymous as it gets. Not only did Stewart finish second in the Top Alcohol standings, but SHR also won the Funny Car championship alongside Matt Hagan. Speaking of the Stewart family, Leah Pruett also scored an impressive third in the Top Fuel class. Now that Tony Stewart is primed to take that Top Fuel spot, the 52-year-old made his objectives known.

He shared, “My goal is to not suck, my goal is not get fired by my wife and not kill myself driving this thing,” Stewart was quoted by CBS MotorSports. “Every time we have jumped into a different type of race car in a different form of motorsport there is always a learning curve and this is no different.”

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While the Top Fuel Dragsters are as difficult to tame as one would think, Tony Stewart is confident in his ability to get the hang of things after a few trial-and-error rounds. It’s safe to say 2024 will be a magnificent year for Stewart both off-track with his family and on-track in the NHRA drag series. Will fans take Stewart’s advice and give the NHRA series a shot?