There was a time when speed truly defined motorsports. It was the kind of raw, unfiltered thrill that made racing fans hold their breath. Back in 1987, NASCAR veteran Bill Elliott proved that on the high banks of Talladega. His No. 9 Ford Thunderbird became a blur, pushing the limits of what a stock car could do. When the clock stopped, the record stood tall—212.808 mph. That day, Elliott posed proudly in front of a sign that read, “World’s Fastest Race Car.” It was a moment frozen in time, one that every racing fan still remembers.

Fast forward to 2025: the speed debate is back, but not because of a new record or a historic run. It was about words. NHRA Funny Car driver and Tony Stewart’s rival Bob Tasca went after FOX Sports, accusing them of disrespecting drag racing. And just like that, an old-school debate came roaring back to life. It all happened at the NHRA Gator Nationals. After finishing his run, instead of talking about his performance, Tasca turned his attention to FOX Sports. In a fiery rant, he called the NHRA broadcasting partner a ‘fake news network.’

Notably, it all started when Fox Sports signed a multi-year deal with IndyCar. For the inaugural season, they produced a blistering commercial with a tagline “the fastest motorsport on the planet.” That statement didn’t sit well with Tasca. After fighting for a win against Antron Brown, who won his first race since 2022, the Funny Car owner slammed Fox Sports for their IndyCar claim. Tasca stood up for NHRA and its fans, insisting that drag racing is the true king of speed.

“I should be talking about that run right now, but really, 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 a fake news network on FOX,” Tasca ranted. As soon as Tasca’s comments hit the air, fans had plenty to say. Some supported him, but others weren’t buying the outrage.

Some fans defended FOX’s IndyCar tagline, saying, “Fastest racing on earth is a good tagline for people who don’t normally watch racing, i.e., the intended audience of the ad.” This comment sits with many as for casual racing fans it’s all about wheel-to-wheel battle for position. To put it in perspective, NHRA dragsters complete their runs in under four seconds. IndyCars, on the other hand, sustain high speeds throughout a race.

However, when it comes to numbers, NHRA dominates. In 2024, Tasca unofficially hit 341.68 mph at the PRO event in Bradenton. The official NHRA Funny Car record, set by Robert Hight in 2017, stands at 339.87 mph. Meanwhile, IndyCar’s fastest recorded speed is 237.498 mph, set by Arie Luyendyk in 1996 at Indianapolis. That’s a massive gap.

But for NASCAR fans, it goes way more down. While modern stock cars don’t come close to drag racing numbers, Elliott’s 212.808 mph at Talladega remains the fastest lap in NASCAR history. With today’s rules, that speed will likely never be seen again. Former NASCAR Champion turned NHRA driver Tony Stewart also reflected on the stark differences between the two disciplines.

“It’s not like what you and I were used to where we’ve got a three-and-a-half-hour race. We’ve got six, eight pit stops, and hundreds of laps to get the job done. If we make a mistake, we’re going to fix it. Drag racing is the opposite. Instead of being in the car for hours, you’re driving for just 3.6 seconds and going from zero to 330 mph,” Tony Stewart explained on Kevin Harvick’s podcast last year.

Notably, Stewart currently competes in NHRA’s top fuel segment. The three-time cup series champion made his NHRA debut in 2024 but failed to win a single event. In the 2025 season, he wishes to make an impact with his family-owned team. As the speed debate continues, fans fail to buy Bob Tasca’s comments.

Fans are not sold on Tony Stewart’s NHRA rival’s angry rant!

While Bob Tasca’s anger made waves in the racing community, not everyone agreed with him. Fans had mixed opinions, with many pointing out the overreaction and the marketing purpose behind FOX’s tagline. Some even called out NHRA as they failed to buy it as a form of racing. One fan summed up the emotions, saying, “Nah, it’s fine. Everyone knows exactly what they meant, and they weren’t talking about drag racing.”

This comment emphasized that FOX’s ad wasn’t an attack on NHRA. The “fastest motorsport” tagline was likely referring to sustained speed over long distances, which is where IndyCar shines. NHRA may hit higher top speeds, but the nature of the racing is entirely different. Meanwhile, some fans argued that it was a publicity stunt from Fox, which holds the rights to both NHRA and IndyCar.

“If Fox used it for NHRA, nobody would be this upset over it… Fox did it so people would talk about NHRA & IndyCar, positive or negative. Either way, it worked,” a user pointed out. Notably, Fox is a long-time motorsports broadcaster. They have been associated with both NHRA and NASCAR. The addition of IndyCar only adds to their portfolio. And the latest debate is just increasing their market presence.

Amid the uproar, some fans took a sly dig at NHRA’s audience base. “Damn, the 30 people who watch NHRA must be devastated,” a user wrote. While exaggerated, this highlights NHRA’s smaller audience compared to NASCAR and IndyCar. The fans suggested that Tasca’s rant may have given NHRA more exposure. If FOX’s goal was to get people talking, it worked.

Finally, one fan placed part of the blame on the culture of modern motorsports, saying, “I agree with you. It’s also part of the blame on fans that nowadays want the sport to be ‘SUPER SERIOUS and DRAMATIC.’” They argued that the racing world has become so focused on controversy that even minor things—like a tagline—turn into full-blown debates.