“It’s drastically different than everything I have ever done before”: NHRA Rookie of The Year Tony Stewart makes feelings clear about drag racing

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion turned drag racer Tony Stewart is currently racing in the PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park. In a recent interview with Athlon Sports, the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year discussed how racing in drag series differs from his past experience in stock car racing.

Stewart's venture in drag racing began when he met his now-wife Leah Pruett during COVID. Pruett drove the Mopar Dodge SRT dragster for Tony Stewart Racing at that time. Due to major leagues shutting down due to the pandemic, Stewart went to watch his then-girlfriend in action on the track and discovered his love for drag racing.

After Pruett announced her pregnancy in December 2023, she took a temporary hiatus from the series. Following this, Stewart took over his wife's Top Fuel Dragster and debuted in the Top Fuel division last year in March.

The 53-year-old began competing in the Top Fuel division in 2024 and secured the Rookie of the Year title. However, he struggled a bit to cope with the new racing environment. Drag races nearly last for three to four seconds, and the competitors drive the car in a straight line, whereas in NASCAR, races last about three hours, and drivers overtake each other to win the race.

Reflecting upon the significant differences, Tony Stewart said:

“It’s drastically different than everything I have ever done before because everyone stays in their own lane. You don’t see drivers fighting or bickering because there is not a lot of opportunities for that." (as quoted by Athlon Sports)

On Saturday, February 8, 2025, Tony Stewart narrowly advanced in the Top Fuel division at the PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park. He secured a lower seat in the berth, finishing eighth.

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Tony Stewart once discussed the difference between NHRA and NASCAR series

Last year, the former stock car racing driver Tony Stewart was featured in the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick's "Happy Hour" podcast and pointed out the difference between the two series.

Stewart began pointing out that the two series are completely different. He began by highlighting that stock car racing races are three to four hours long, while National Hot Rod Association races are wrapped up in about three to four seconds.

“It’s not like what you and I were used to, where we’ve got a three-and-a-half-hour race," Stewart said. "We’ve got six, eight pit stops that we’re going to have during the day, and we got three, four, five hundred laps to get the job done. If we make a mistake, we’re going to fix it," Tony Stewart stated.

“Drag racing; it’s the opposite of that. Instead of being in the car for three and a half hours, you’re literally driving the car three and a half seconds and going from zero to 330 miles per hour in 3.6, 3.7 seconds on a good run. So it’s drastically different," he added.

The Columbus, Indiana, native concluded that there is a major difference in the car's engine in both series NASCAR produces around 650 horsepower. On the other hand, NHRA dragster cars pump 11,000 horsepower, and the suits generally weigh about ten pounds more than NASCAR uniforms.