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Tony Stewart Advances To Quarterfinals At NHRA Reading Event; Hagan Faces Early Exit
Tony Stewart, a renowned champion in NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC, advanced to the quarterfinals at the NHRA Reading event. Driving his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Rinnai Dodge//SRT dragster, Stewart continued his impressive performance in the Top Fuel division. Both Stewart and his TSR teammate Matt Hagan showcased strong qualifying efforts, with Stewart securing fourth place and Hagan taking sixth in their respective categories.
Stewart's consistent top-four qualifying runs were evident as he entered Sunday’s eliminations with a 3.741 pass. Hagan, a former Maple Grove NHRA national race winner, recorded a solid 3.897 pass for sixth place. In the first round of eliminations, Stewart faced Billy Torrence and demonstrated his exceptional reaction time by leaving the starting line first and advancing to the quarterfinals against Shawn Langdon.
With six NHRA "Countdown" races remaining, accumulating points was crucial for Stewart and his team. Led by Neal Strausbaugh (crew chief), Mike Domagala (co-crew chief), and Ryan McGilvry (car chief), they navigated challenging track conditions due to high temperatures. In the quarterfinals against Langdon, both drivers struggled with traction but Langdon ultimately won with a 4.076 to Stewart’s 4.351.
Despite the loss, Stewart maintained his seventh position in the NHRA Mission Top Fuel standings as they head to Charlotte for the NHRA betway Carolina Nationals from September 20-22. "I had to pedal the car the first round," said Stewart. "I got a lot of pats on the back when we got to the pit, so that made me feel good from the driver standpoint."
Hagan faced a tough first-round matchup against J.R. Todd, who qualified eleventh. Despite recording stellar times, Todd edged out Hagan with a holeshot victory of 3.943 to Hagan’s 3.934. Hagan remains in the top five of the current NHRA Mission Funny Car points as he prepares for Charlotte this weekend.
"It was a pretty tough weekend starting the ‘Countdown’ in Reading," said Hagan. "We obviously lost in the first round on a ‘holeshot.’ The driver didn’t get the job done." Hagan aims to improve performance and luck in upcoming races.
Ida Zetterström's Progress
Swedish Top Fuel rookie Ida Zetterström recorded her quickest time at just her third NHRA national event with an impressive 3.745 pass but lost to Langdon in the opening round. "I’ve got a lot of confidence in my team," said Zetterström. "We’re basically treating every pass as a test pass." She aims for consistency and readiness for next year’s championship chase.
The NHRA betway Carolina Nationals will commence on September 20 with nitro qualifying rounds scheduled at 5 p.m. EDT and 7:30 p.m. EDT followed by additional qualifying on September 21 at 1:30 p.m. EDT and 4 p.m. EDT. Final eliminations are set for September 22 at noon EDT.
Dodge//SRT Legacy
Dodge has been synonymous with performance for over a century, continuing its legacy with electrified muscle cars like the all-new Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack and powerful models such as the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat.
The Direct Connection portfolio offers modern performance parts developed by SRT engineers for Dodge vehicles, available online and through Dodge Power Brokers dealers.
Mopar's Evolution
Mopar represents Stellantis genuine parts and accessories globally, evolving from its origins in antifreeze products to comprehensive vehicle care and performance enhancements since its inception in 1937.
Mopar made significant strides during the muscle-car era of the 1960s with performance parts designed for speed and handling improvements both on-road and racing use.
The brand now integrates service, parts, and customer-care operations worldwide to enhance support for customers and dealers alike.
The NHRA action can be followed on Fox Sports 1 with coverage of qualifying rounds airing on September 20 at 7 p.m. EDT and final eliminations on September 22 at 3 p.m. EDT.
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