Tony Stewart Racing St. Louis Advance for the NHRA Midwest Nationals

The NHRA Midwest Nationals near St. Louis is the 17th race on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race schedule and it is the third round in the six-race Countdown to the Championship. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car) are both in the Countdown, with 2024 marking Stewart’s first appearance in the NHRA postseason and Hagan’s 13th.

Stewart is eighth in the Top Fuel standings heading into St. Louis, 174 points behind championship leader Antron Brown. Hagan is currently fourth in the Funny Car championship standings, 153 points behind leader Austin Prock. Hagan is a four-time champion (2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023).

Hagan is coming off a runner-up finish last week at Charlotte that moved him into fourth place in points, 17 behind third place Jack Beckman, in his bid to win back-to-back championships for the first time in his career.

Stewart is representing Rush Truck Centers on his Top Fuel dragster at St. Louis. Hagan, meanwhile, has American Rebel Beer on his Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car.

Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America with 140 locations coast to coast and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies. Rush Truck Centers proudly employs more than 2,500 talented service technicians and they are the heartbeat of its dealerships. The company is always looking to add the best and brightest technicians to its team. Service technicians interested in looking for the next step in their careers can find additional information and listings of open positions on the Rush Enterprises Technician Careers page.

American Rebel Beer was founded in April, 2024 by American Rebel CEO Andy Ross. American Rebel Beer is currently offered in five states (Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio and Connecticut), with additional states being announced soon. You can also find American Rebel in various legendary bars in the entertainment district in Nashville, as well as retail outlets, venues and music festivals throughout the United States. American Rebel Beer is America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

The NHRA Midwest Nationals will be Stewart’s 17th career Top Fuel start and his first at St. Louis. For Hagan, the NHRA Midwest Nationals will be his 349th career Funny Car start and his 15th at the track.

Stewart is seeking his first victory in the NHRA Midwest Nationals, as well as his first No. 1 qualifier at the event. Stewart’s wife, Leah Pruett, advanced to the Finals last year in the Top Fuel Dragster, defeating Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence, before losing to Clay Millican in the Finals.

Hagan enters the NHRA Midwest Nationals with two wins in 2021 and 2023. In 2021, his 3.933 ET, 333.49 mph run defeated Bob Tasca III (3.967 ET at 329.99 mph). In 2023, Hagan’s 3.991 ET at 324.90 mph defeated Ron Capps’ 4.025 ET, 306.88 mph run. Hagan has three No. 1 qualifiers at St. Louis, which came in 2013 (4.001 ET at 320.20 mph), 2015 (3.883 ET at 330.47 mph) and 2021 (3.875 ET at 327.03 mph). Hagan has gone to the finals six times at St. Louis, with runner-up finishes in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2020. In his last four starts, he has compiled a 13-2 elimination record.

The Tony Stewart Store merchandise trailer will be on-site at the NHRA Midwest Nationals. Hagan will be signing on Friday from 4:00-4:30 p.m. and Stewart will be signing Saturday from 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Pruett will be joining the SpeedFreaks for an interview in the Budweiser Pavilion on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.

Hagan’s crew chief Dickie Venables will be joining the NHRA for Nitro School on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The interview will take place on the Nitro Alley Stage in the pits.

Tony Stewart, Driver of the Rush Truck Centers Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster

Despite a first-round exit at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, you maintained your points position. What is your mindset heading into St. Louis with four races remaining this season?

“We are one run at a time. We are still on the good side of where we need to be with the race car. It has power and speed, we just have to control it. We have to keep doing what we’re doing. We can’t put a whole weekend together yet. We’re gaining on it. I know I keep saying it and sound like a broken record, but I know internally what is going on and the gains that are being made. We just have to stay the course and not make mistakes.”

You’re running Rush Truck Centers on your Top Fuel Dragster for the first time this season. Talk about how special your long-standing relationship is with them.

“Rusty Rush is like a big brother to me. We never got him to victory lane on the (NASCAR) Cup side, so I would desperately love to do that for him in St. Louis. I just hope we have a good weekend. He’s been a great partner and he’s an exceptional friend, so I want the best for him at his race.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the American Rebel Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car

You’re coming off a final-round appearance at the NHRA Carolina Nationals. How valuable was that weekend, knowing your crew has found more performance with the car?

“Having more performance following Charlotte is good and being No. 1 qualifier was great. We have to continue that into St. Louis. This Countdown is going to be difficult for everyone. Obviously, (Austin) Prock winning the last two races doesn’t leave a lot of room for error, so you have to hope he stubs his toe early and can capitalize on that. We came up a little short in Charlotte, so we have to be super aggressive these next few races with nothing to lose and throw the kitchen sink at it. We have to throw down every round.”

You’re the defending event winner at St. Louis. You’ve collected two wins total there and four runner-up finishes. What confidence does that give you with four races remaining this season?

“We have some good luck at St. Louis, so hopefully we can continue our momentum from Charlotte with the final-round appearance. We’re going to have a few Dodge executives there and our friends from American Rebel Beer, so I’d really like to have good performance and put on a good show for them to show them what we’re capable of.”

Friday, Sept. 27 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)