Tony Stewart’s streak of first-round victories came to a halt at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals, but the Top Fuel standout remains firmly in the title conversation heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Driving the red, white, and blue Mobil 1 Dodge//SRT dragster, Stewart qualified No. 5 with a strong 3.700-second pass at 331.28 mph in Q3, earning two bonus points for the second-quickest run of the session. The team consistently ran in the 3.70s through three of four qualifying rounds, showcasing their ability to adapt to changing conditions at Sonoma Raceway.
Unfortunately, Stewart’s race day came to an early end in the opening round of eliminations. Paired with Josh Hart in the first Top Fuel match of the day, Stewart’s machine dropped cylinders immediately and slowed to a 10.343 at just 68.96 mph. Hart advanced with a clean 3.746 at 329.26 mph.
“We definitely didn’t want to lose first round, but to go this far into the season and have a streak of first-round wins like we had is something to be proud of for our organization,” Stewart said. “It’s always tough when you’re the first pair of the day out on the racetrack. You don’t get a read off of cars in front of you. We just stubbed our toe in the first round.”
Despite the early exit, Stewart and the TSR team gained ground internally, correcting several nagging mechanical issues that had challenged them in recent races.
“This weekend got us back on the right side of things,” Stewart added. “Even though the results didn’t show it, there’s still a lot of confidence for the crew chiefs moving forward. We’ve addressed some big issues that have been plaguing us.”
The Mobil 1 team will head to Brainerd International Raceway in mid-August for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, followed by the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis — two key stops before the Countdown to the Championship begins. Stewart currently sits second in the Top Fuel standings, just 48 points behind leader Shawn Langdon.
This story was originally published on July 27, 2025. 
