Motorsport legend Tony Stewart, 54, entered the weekend with a legitimate shot at the NHRA crown and renewed speculation about a surprise NASCAR comeback. However, Mother Nature had other plans, as persistent rain shut down all professional activity from Friday through Sunday. Still, Stewart didn’t appear so bothered by the abrupt ending to his title bid.
Stewart Finds Perspective in NHRA Wipeout and Season Progress
Stewart’s rookie Top Fuel campaign delivered nearly everything he could’ve asked for; a regular-season title, two Wallys, and a front-row seat to Matt Hagan’s push for the Funny Car crown.
Hagan entered the weekend trailing Austin Prock by a slim margin and needed a perfect storm to claim his fourth championship. Prock would have had to lose in the first round, while Hagan won the entire event. After rallying from a midseason slump to stay in the fight, Hagan never got the chance to stage that comeback, as relentless rain wiped out the entire weekend.
With NHRA cancelling the event and locking in titles based on points, Prock secured his second straight Funny Car championship, leaving little for “Smoke” to protest. Stewart understands that reality, which is why he isn’t losing sleep over missing one last shot on track. He’s more focused on the progress his team has made than on what they didn’t achieve.
“Yeah, but I think, you know, midway through the season, they weren’t really in a position anyway,” Stewart told Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.
“So, I mean, I think they’re happy with where they ended up. For us, I mean, all I wanted at the beginning of the season, the goal was just to see the needle move the right direction,” he continued.
While missing out on the championship run is never ideal, he takes comfort in the strides they achieved, both on the track and behind the scenes.
“So, I think with two wins and a regular-season championship, I think we definitely saw the needle move the right way.
“Hard to be disappointed with that. Obviously, would have liked to have performed better in the countdown, but like I said, I just keep referring back to you know, we just wanted to see improvement with the team, and we definitely did that for sure,” Stewart added.
Drag racing can be dangerous in wet conditions. Track grip needs to be optimal, and if officials feel it’s compromised, they often call off races for safety reasons.