Three-time NASCAR Cup Champion and NHRA Rookie of the Year, Tony Stewart, opens up about the financial challenges of running a competitive NHRA team while keeping his passion for racing alive.
Since trading NASCAR ovals for NHRA drag strips, Tony Stewart has rediscovered his love for racing—but he’s quick to admit that owning and competing in the NHRA is far from a money-making venture. Stewart, who operates both Top Fuel and Funny Car teams, revealed the financial realities during Race Industry Week hosted by Epartrade.com.
“We struggled the first two seasons as a team owner. We never even came close to breaking even,” Stewart shared. “At the end of this season, our books look a lot better, and I think next year we’re finally going to be in a situation where, hopefully, we can at least break even for the season financially.”
Stewart, who retired from professional NASCAR racing, acknowledges the unique challenges of funding a drag racing operation. Unlike teams with independent revenue streams—like Connie Kalitta’s aviation empire or the Torrence family’s Capco construction business—Stewart funds much of his operation out of pocket.
“For me, I’m a professional race car driver that retired from NASCAR,” explained Stewart. “I don’t have that income coming in. So, anything that I’m spending out of pocket is literally coming out of retirement that I have to live the rest of my life on.”
Despite early struggles, Stewart remains optimistic. In 2024, he claimed a Top Alcohol Dragster Regional Championship, and his teams have begun attracting new sponsorships, a crucial step toward sustainability.
“The great thing is we’re seeing new partners—not just for our teams, but across NHRA as a whole,” he added. “Getting people to the track has made a huge difference for us and is helping make this team financially stable.”
Looking ahead, Stewart believes the NHRA’s upcoming TV contract negotiations could significantly impact the sport’s future, stating TV packages are “really crucial for motorsports.” Currently, NHRA has network coverage on Fox Sports, but the next deal could reshape financial opportunities for both the sanctioning body and its competitors.
“Obviously, NHRA.TV has great coverage as well, but to be there and be on network television is big,” said Stewart, the NHRA Top Fuel Rookie of the Year who’ll return in 2025 as wife Leah Pruett takes another year off.
For Stewart, a strong TV package and sustainable business model are key to securing NHRA’s future.
“NHRA is going to land and have a home on a network, it’s just which one is it going to be,” he said. “Hopefully, whatever package that ends up being will have a little more financial stability. That trickles down to helping NHRA as a sanctioning body, and it helps us as competitors, too, down the road.
After a standout rookie season in NHRA Top Fuel, Stewart will return to the cockpit in 2025 as his wife, Leah Pruett, takes another year off from racing. With momentum from new sponsorships and continued optimism about the sport’s growth, Stewart is committed to keeping his passion project on track—retirement funds and all.
“Having that business model that makes it sustainable is very, very important in motorsports right now. These things don’t run themselves. It has to make sense financially to run these cars.”
This story was originally published on December 16, 2024. 
