Dodge and Tony Stewart Racing Extend Partnership
Photo credit: Dodge
To continue fielding two nitro-burning entries in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mission Drag Racing Series, Top Fuel and Funny Car events, the Dodge brand announced an extension of its collaboration with the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro organization.
“The Dodge brand is excited to extend our partnership with an elite, winning organization like Tony Stewart Racing,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis. “Dodge owns a historic legacy in NHRA competition, and racing icon and legend Tony Stewart, four-time NHRA world champion Matt Hagan and 18-time NHRA event winner Leah Pruett are the perfect ambassadors to represent our brand and our Direct Connection performance parts line. Along with our Dodge Brotherhood of Muscle, I look forward to continuing to cheer on Tony, Matt, Leah and the entire TSR organization.”
Since the Dodge brand and TSR began working together in 2022, Matt Hagan, a driver for Direct Connection Dodge/SRT Hellcat, has won 15 NHRA national event victories. Additionally, Hagan won the 2023 NHRA Mission World Funny Car Championship. Stewart made the announcement in 2024 that he would take over as driver of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge/SRT Top Fuel vehicle in lieu of his wife, Leah Pruett, who left the driver’s seat this year to begin a family with her husband, the team owner.
“Having strong OEM support is crucial in all forms of motorsports,” said Stewart. “To have Dodge re-sign with TSR is great. We are all excited about where the program has been up until this point, and we are all excited about where it’s going. It’s been a big change on the dragster side with Leah (Pruett) driving in the past, as far as the specs we had to change in the offseason. It’s been more of a challenge for the crew chiefs, but Dodge has been very supportive from the time we had the first discussion about creating TSR Nitro. I’m very appreciative of their support and looking forward to an awesome future with them.”
Since Dodge teamed with TSR in 2022, Hagan (12) and Pruett (3) have combined for 15 victories at NHRA national races; Hagan won six of these victories while winning the 2023 Funny Car championship. Pruett won two races in the TSR Direct Connection Dodge/SRT dragster, which helped him finish third in the 2023 Top Fuel standings.
In 2023, Stewart, a past champion of the NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC series, startled the motorsports community by taking up drag racing as a fourth racing discipline. He currently competes full-time at the top level in NHRA Top Fuel competition. Stewart is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In his debut season behind the wheel of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge/SRT dragster, Stewart finished second in the Top Alcohol Dragster class national points in 2023 and continued to acquire experience as the famous racer pursues his first Top Fuel victory.
“It’s really awesome to hear Dodge is extending their relationship with TSR,” said Hagan. “I have had such a long career with Dodge. I’ve been able to carry the Dodge banner for close to 16 years and I’ve been able to win four championships and 51 races with the brand. The parts and pieces and support they give us is amazing and allows us to be the best on the racetrack. It’s great to have such a long partnership. We’ve been able to build a championship team and I am honored to be a part of that. Dodge has a great relationship with TSR and Tony (Stewart). It’s been awesome watching him grow.”
Since joining the sport in 2022 with the Dodge brand, Stewart’s two-car operation has been among the top professional operations in the NHRA, and it has remained in the lead throughout the 20-race NHRA national tour. There are large lineups at the TSR pit area for Stewart’s autographs and pictures because he is one of the most well-liked competitors in the NHRA this year. He goes by “Smoke” in the racing community.
Since 2009, Hagan, the current NHRA Mission World Funny Car Champion, has been connected to the Dodge brand for 16 seasons. With four historic records, Hagan has achieved history in drag racing. He is the first driver of a Funny Car to break the 4-second barrier (3.995 in 2011) and the 3.80-second barrier (3.799 in 2015). He has also reached 330 mph (2015) and 335 mph (2016) at 1,000 feet.
The Virginian racer has won four NHRA World Funny Car championships, all in Dodge-powered cars with Mopar HEMI® engines. He now shares the record for most Funny Car victories in NHRA competition with Kenny Bernstein and Don “the Snake” Prudhomme. Hagan ranks fourth all-time in Funny Car wins with 51 NHRA national event victories.
“This extension represents many aspects of our partnership — not only our enthusiasm to continue on-track success for the Dodge brand with our team and loyal fans, but also as a pathway for Direct Connection to continue to connect with their customers through an established partnership,” said Pruett. “I hold Dodge and Direct Connection close to my heart and I am thrilled to continue our partnership.”
Pruett started working with Dodge and Mopar in 2016. He still attends races and participates actively in the TSR structure and team tactics. After competing in eight 2024 NHRA Mission events this year, the TSR Direct Connection Dodge/SRT cars are now ranked fourth in the class rankings with Hagan having won two Funny Car races and Stewart eighth in the Top Fuel standings. June will see two additional NHRA Mission events: the NHRA Virginia Nationals in Dinwiddie, Virginia which began on June 21 till today. The second event is the NHRA Summit Racing Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, on June 28–30.
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