Stewart Posts Quarterfinals Finish After Wild Top Fuel Run at NHRA Reading Nationals, Hagan Exits in Fiery First Round
Auburn Hills, MI – Famed Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, is known as the “House of Chaos” and Dodge//SRT drivers Tony 
Stewart and Matt Hagan experienced their own wild rides Sunday at the sold-out NHRA Reading Nationals in their Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Direct Connection Dodge//SRT nitro-burning machines.
Stewart, the motorsports legend from Indiana, entered Sunday’s final eliminations with the NHRA Mission Top Fuel points lead and captured the opening round of action with a solid victory over eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, advancing to face Doug Kalitta in the quarterfinals.
In the race, Kalitta edged Stewart with a 3.787 to a 3.809, but it was the aftermath which caused a mishap with both drivers involved in a chaotic ending to the race in the shutdown area. Kalitta’s front left wheel collapsed and forced him into Stewart’s path at over 300 miles per hour and both cars collided. Stewart’s dragster was forced into the outside wall and dipped on his side before landing upright sliding to a stop, while Kalitta’s car spun in the middle of the track. Both drivers amazingly were able to walk away to the cheers of the huge Reading crowd.
Despite the Reading loss, Stewart is just 18 points behind Kalitta in the NHRA Mission Top Fuel standings as the NHRA national campaign heads to Charlotte this weekend (Sept. 19-21).
“This was definitely not the weekend we were looking for,” said Stewart. “We got through first round against Tony Schumacher and lined up against one of the best with Doug (Kalitta) in the second round. I wish I could tell you what happened (during the incident), but what I saw on the video is the only thing I can go off of right now. It looked like his front wheel failed and he came across into my lane. I’m just glad he’s alright. I was worried about him, and he was worried about me. The silver lining is that everyone around us (in points) had problems in the second round. Even though Doug took over the points lead, we’re all close to each other in points heading into Charlotte, so we can rally from there.”
Hagan, a former Reading Funny Car race winner, held the lead in his race with Blake Alexander in round one when his Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat suffered an engine explosion, which broke the car’s body in half. Hagan was not injured in the engine flare-up and currently ranks fifth in the Funny Car points heading to the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals, a race he won in 2024.
“It was a really tough weekend for TSR,” said Hagan. “I’m really glad Tony was okay because it was a nasty lick that he took. We love doing this and going fast, but it’s always good to see your buddy crawl out of the car and see that he’s okay. We’re blessed to do what we do, but sometimes we get so caught up in the adrenaline and winning, that we forget how dangerous it is. I got reminded of that today when we exploded as well. The tethers came up and I couldn’t see out to drive the racecar. I didn’t know where I was at on the track or where my opponent was. That is a bad feeling.
“As a driver, you pride yourself on having seat time and being able to get yourself out of bad situations. When you feel like you’re along for the ride, it is a hopeless feeling. I’m glad that everyone is okay. The crew chiefs (Mike Knudsen and Phil Shuler) are really smart, so they will figure out the engine problem. We will keep working hard and see what we can come up with in Charlotte next week.”
While Hagan had an early exit in Funny Car, two-time World Champion Cruz Pedregon won his 40th career NHRA Funny Car race (and first victory since Pomona in November 2022) in his Snap-on Dodge//SRT Charger in an all-Dodge final against Blake Alexander in his Dodge//SRT Hellcat. Pedregon clocked a 3.969 to Alexander’s 4.020 in the final round.
“This is a big one… No. 40,” said Pedregon. “I hired a young guy in Jason Bunker (his team’s crew chief). He and I have worked together for a few years, so the fact that we put it together is important. And Snap-on has stuck behind us too. We’re running the Snap-on 105th anniversary Dodge//SRT body, and I want to thank all the supporters and everybody who sticks with this team. I was emotional earlier, and I said, we’ve won a couple of championships, I haven’t forgotten how to do it. The Cruzer’s back, baby.”
This weekend (Sept. 19-21), the nitro action for the NHRA Carolina Four-Wide Nationals begins on Friday, Sept. 19, with qualifying set at 4:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT, followed by two Saturday qualifying rounds scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. EDT. The final eliminations at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte will take place on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 11:30 a.m. EDT, with the national telecast airing at 12 p.m. EDT on Fox Sports 1.
