Quick Read
- Tony Stewart claimed his first Top Fuel win of the 2026 season at the NHRA Winternationals.
- Matt Hagan secured the 1,000th Funny Car victory in NHRA history during the same event.
- Greg Anderson matched the all-time record for Winternationals Pro Stock wins with his 17th victory at the Pomona track.
POMONA (Azat TV) – Motorsports legend Tony Stewart achieved a career milestone on Sunday, securing his first Top Fuel victory of the 2026 season at the 66th annual NHRA Winternationals. Competing at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Stewart piloted his 12,000-horsepower R&L Carriers dragster to a winning pass of 3.683 seconds at 332.51 mph, defeating Justin Ashley in the championship round.
Validating the Elite Motorsports Program
This victory marks Stewart’s third career NHRA win and serves as a significant breakthrough for his Elite Motorsports team. Throughout the weekend, Stewart demonstrated consistency in his eliminations, overcoming challengers including Will Smith, Josh Hart, and Shawn Langdon. According to NHRA, the win is particularly meaningful as it arrives during the organization’s 75th-anniversary season, validating the operational adjustments Stewart implemented earlier in the week.
Milestone Weekend in Pomona
The event proved to be a historic outing for the entire Tony Stewart Racing organization. Alongside Stewart’s Top Fuel success, his driver Matt Hagan captured the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. Hagan’s victory over Ron Capps in a side-by-side final capped a dominant weekend that also saw him secure the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. The dual success of the team owner and his driver underscored a high level of performance that Stewart noted was the result of bringing the right personnel and technical ingredients together.
Pro Stock Dominance Continues
The Winternationals also highlighted the continued excellence of veteran Greg Anderson, who secured his 17th career victory at the Pomona facility. By defeating teammate Dallas Glenn in the Pro Stock final, Anderson tied the legendary Bob Glidden for the most Winternationals wins in the category’s history. Anderson’s performance, which included being the quickest driver in every round of eliminations, leaves him as a formidable force as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series prepares for the upcoming Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.
The synchronization of Stewart’s first Top Fuel win of the season with Hagan’s milestone victory suggests that Tony Stewart Racing has successfully transitioned from a collection of individual talents into a cohesive, multi-category competitive force, establishing the team as a primary points contender for the remainder of the 2026 season.