When Tony Stewart moved away from NASCAR in 2016, many thought that it was the end of his racing career. However, he has proven them wrong, and his performance in the NHRA Winternationals over the years is a testament to that. Initially, he started off by replacing his wife, Leah Pruett, after she had to leave her seat to go on maternity leave, but in the past few years, he has had some great highs in the competition, including his latest one that came at Pomona.
Tony Stewart wins Top Fuel
Racing at Pomona earlier yesterday, Stewart managed to clinch his third Top Fuel win, and the first for Elite Motorsports. Going against Justin Ashley, one of the best in the sport, it was quite apparent that the competition was going to be at its peak. But Stewart managed to win by a thin margin in a 3.683-second run.
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“Just what a cool feeling. You don’t get winded like this driving the car. It’s the excessive celebration when you see that 99-cent damn light bulb on the wall come on and know that you won this thing,” he said in excitement after the win.
Understandably, Stewart was on cloud nine with the victory. Despite his age, he proves himself on the track regularly, and this victory was a strong statement.
“Man, you’re going up against the best guy in the class and not by a little. He’s that bad a** by a lot. So, just to run with him and you know be close to him, leaving and give this thing a chance to beat him at the lines is pretty damn cool,” he said about Ashley.
While this is Stewart’s third victory in the NHRA, it was the first time he won at Pomona, and that too, against such a tough competitor. This was also a massive achievement for the team, but Tony Stewart had anticipated it for some time and had already kept the team owners informed of an upcoming win.
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When Stewart subtly flexed his five-decade experience
Stewart has been involved in racing for a long time now, and not just as a driver. He conveyed that to the team and assured the result was going to be positive sooner rather than later.
“I literally told Richard Freeman and Royce Freeman on Friday, and individually, I mean, I saw them, and I got Richard off to the side, and I said, ‘Listen, I know I’m relatively new to drag racing,’ I said, ‘but I’ve been racing for 47 years. I’ve been a part of a lot of different programs and worked with a lot of different people.’ And I said, ‘I promise you, all the ingredients are here,” Stewart told the media after the victory.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 13: Tony Stewart, 25 Kaulig Racing RAM prepares to enter his truck before the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 on February 13, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 13 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602133749250
Tony Stewart’s long racing experience helps him to understand and dominate whatever racing discipline he takes up. Similar was the case when he raced in the Cup Series. He won three races in his debut season in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing and later went on to win the Cup Series championship in 2002.
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He then also helped Kevin Harvickwin his first and only Cup title in the 2014 season with Stewart-Haas Racing. This was one of the most successful operations on the field, but they had to cease all their work at the end of the 2024 season.
Even though Stewart is no longer an active part of NASCAR’s Cup Series, his influence continues to echo across motorsports. His victory in Top Fuel is a testament to his performance behind the wheel, and for Elite Motorsports, hopefully, the first of many.
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