When motorsports icon Tony Stewart first started making passes in Frank Hawley Drag Racing School ’ s Super Comp dragster and Top Dragster , he insisted he didn ’ t intend on competing , that he just wanted to better understand what his now wife , Top Fuel star Leah Pruett , was experiencing on the racetrack . Now , after a full season in Top Alcohol Dragster that nearly resulted in a world championship , Stewart is a Top Fuel rookie and championship contender .
Stewart , who ’ s joked that he ’ s a 53-year-old rookie , made his Top Fuel debut at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals in
Gainesville , Florida , driving the Dodge Direct Connection dragster formerly driven by Pruett , who stepped away from driving to focus on starting a family with Stewart . With Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala as crew chiefs , Stewart raced to the final round at the fourth race of the season , the Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas . Several races later , he reached his first two-wide final round at the Sonoma Nationals , where he was runner-up to fellow driver / team owner Antron Brown .
“ We needed a day like today for the team guys ,” said Stewart , who credited the team ’ s Funny Car crew chief , Dickie Venables , for providing input that helped the team find a potential “ smoking gun ” in the setup . “ We didn ’ t really win anything , but we didn ’ t lose today . In the final , we did everything we could as we left on one of the best Top Fuel leavers . To leave on Antron in the final is very big for me as a driver . We spit a couple of [ spark ] plugs
out at the far end and , if [ Brown ] had any problem , we were right there for the win .”
Stewart , who has also picked up two regional event victories in Top Alcohol Dragster this season driving for the McPhillips Racing team , has earned the respect of his fellow racers in a short time . It ’ s obvious that he ’ s applying himself with the same intensity and focus that brought him numerous world championships in the NASCAR Cup Series , IndyCar , sprint cars , and more .
“ I ’ ve always had a great deal of respect for Tony Stewart ,” Brown said after facing Stewart in the Sonoma final round . “ He ’ s one of my heroes in NASCAR and IndyCar . He ’ s going to be in the winner ’ s circle soon , trust me . And he ’ s not going to do it one time ; he ’ s going to do it multiple times . It was a monumental matchup in that final round . He got me first round at one of these races where we smoked the tires and he beat us , and it felt good to get one back on him today , for sure .”
Between Stewart ’ s incredible résumé and the team ’ s success in 2023 – coming up just one round win short of the world championship – you can ’ t argue with Brown ’ s assessment . The driver known as “ Smoke ” is a Top Fuel champion in the making . – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID BEITLER , SEMA
No . 8 BUSINESS IS BOOMING
According to the recent release of the inaugural 2024 State of the Racing Market Report compiled by the Performance Racing Industry ( PRI ), the business of drag racing has been on the rise since the pandemic .
It appears that the global shutdown has sparked a widespread interest in drag racing , as many people found themselves with unexpected free time . The inaugural 2024 State of the Racing Market Report now provides evidence that this surge in interest is indeed a reality .
The report is based on a variety of sources , including a comprehensive survey sent to businesses across the racing ecosystem . The organization reached out to PRI members and non-members , covering manufacturers , retailers , distributors , engine builders , race prep businesses , teams , tracks , and racing associations . This broad-based approach ensures they capture a wide range of perspectives and data points .
The report finds that “ Businesses across the racing ecosystem are seeing positive signs that motorsports is getting back to its usual rhythm .” According to the report , 76 % of racing businesses view the racing market as either stable or on the rise . While companies saw strong sales growth following the reopening of tracks and resumption
September / October 2024 of races post-pandemic due to pent-up demand , the growth slowed slightly in 2023 amidst recession and inflation concerns . Still , overall sales were largely positive or remained stable for those selling racing parts .
Not only does the report establish that track-use motorsports parts accounted for more than $ 8 billion in sales in the United States in 2023 , but it also provides industry-specific data and insights that will help members grow their businesses and stay competitive .
Drag racing leads the report in various areas , including the manufacturing of race parts . Gavin Knapp , PRI ’ s Director of Market Research , shares his thoughts on the report ’ s findings .
“ Drag racing is one of the most supported and connected types of racing within our sample ,” says Knapp . “ The industry ’ s outlook for drag racing is particularly positive , with many seeing growth and opportunity in this sector .”
Additionally , many racetracks , racing series , and racing associations feel that the industry is still recovering from the pandemic but are more optimistic about the outlook for racing ; 68 % of tracks expect to run as many or more races in 2024 than a typical year .
One purpose of the report is for businesses to utilize the information to analyze the status of their companies and to set goals for the future .
“ There are two primary ways businesses can use this report ,” explains Knapp . “ First , it ’ s a powerful benchmarking tool . Companies can compare their performance with others in their niche , understanding trends and seeing how they stack up . Second , it helps identify new opportunities . By examining trends in other niches , businesses can explore potential expansion areas . Additionally , it provides valuable insights from different perspectives within the industry , such as what manufacturers , retailers and race tracks are experiencing .”
Lastly , Knapp shares that there will be a second edition of the report in the first quarter of 2025 .
PRI members can visit PerformanceRacing . com to download the 2024 State of the Racing Market Report . – KAYLA ZADEL DI
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