Tue, 11 Nov 2025, 21:34 PM Tony Stewart & Matt Hagan Preview

Courtesy of Ashley Wilson, Tony Stewart Racing

Tony Stewart & Matt Hagan
Dodge Direct Connection Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers
In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals
Nov. 14-16 | Pomona, California

Event Overview

Friday, Nov. 14 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 1:30 p.m. PST/4:30 p.m. EST
• Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST

Saturday, Nov. 15 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 11:30 a.m. PST/2:30 p.m. EST
• Nitro qualifying session (Q4): 2 p.m. PST/5 p.m. EST

Sunday, Nov. 16 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Round 1: 11 a.m. PST/2 p.m. EST
• Round 2: 1:10 p.m. PST/4:10 p.m. EST
• Semifinals: 2:45 p.m. PST/5:45 p.m. EST
• Finals: 4:10 p.m. PST/7:10 p.m. EST

TV coverage on FS1
• Friday, Nov. 14: Qualifying show (6:30 p.m. EST)
• Sunday, Nov. 16: Qualifying show recapping Saturday's action (11 a.m. EST)
• Sunday, Nov. 16: Finals show (5 p.m. EST)

Notes of Interest

• This weekend's In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip is the 20th and final race on the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series' schedule, and the iconic California venue is where the six-race Countdown to the Championship culminates. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Tony Stewart (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car) both made the Countdown in 2025, with Stewart securing his second Countdown appearance while Hagan earned his spot in the NHRA postseason for the 13th consecutive time.

• Stewart enters Pomona fifth in the Top Fuel standings, 243 points behind championship leader Doug Kalitta. Hagan is second in the Funny Car championship standings, 101 points behind leader Austin Prock.

• Doug Kalitta remains in the Top Fuel points lead, and he'll take a 144- and 163-point advantage over Shawn Langdon and Justin Ashley, respectively, into the finale.

• In Funny Car, Hagan was able to close the points gap to -101 behind Austin Prock with Hagan's win at the last event, the NHRA Nevada Nationals.

• Every single Top Fuel and Funny Car pass the championship contenders make this weekend in Pomona matters. The finale delivers points-and-a-half.

• The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals will be Hagan's 372nd career Funny Car start. It'll be his 33rd overall start at Pomona and his 16th in the NHRA Finals.

• With his win at Las Vegas, Matt extended to 13 the number of consecutive seasons in which he has won at least three tour events. That's the longest such active streak in the sport and the second longest in history (John Force won three or more events in 18 straight seasons from 1990 through 2007).

• Hagan enters the season finale with 18 wins in Countdown races, the most among Funny Car drivers and second most overall behind only Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson (19).

• Earlier this year when the NHRA visited Pomona March 28-30, Hagan secured the No. 8 qualifying position and advanced to the Semifinals, where his 3.915 ET at 316.82 mph lost to Jack Beckman's3.860 ET at 328.62 mph.

• Hagan has three career wins at the NHRA Finals (2011, 2013 and 2014). In his first victory in 2011, Hagan ran a 4.009 ET at 317.79 mph to defeat Robert Hight (4.031 ET at 318.92 mph). In 2013, Hagan ran a 4.018 ET at 320.66 mph to defeat John Force (4.057 ET at 317.94 mph). And in 2014, Hagan clocked a 4.076 ET at 310.77 mph to defeat John Force (4.086 ET at 276.58 mph).

• Hagan has two No. 1 qualifiers at the NHRA Finals, which came in 2011 (4.033 ET at 316.27 mph) and 2019 (3.872 ET at 333.58 mph).

• Hagan earned Tony Stewart Racing's first Funny Car championship at the 2023 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. It marked Hagan's fourth Funny Car championship, where he became just the fourth Funny Car driver to win as many as four championships after John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme.

• The NHRA Finals will be Stewart's 40th career Top Fuel start. It'll be his fourth overall start at Pomona and his second in the NHRA Finals.

• Stewart is seeking his first Top Fuel victory at the NHRA Finals, as well as his first No. 1 qualifier. At the 65th NHRA Winternationals earlier this season, Stewart advanced to the Finals where his 6.187 ET at 99.83 mph, lost to Clay Millican's 4.273 ET at 189.71 mph.

• Direct Connection is the primary partner of Hagan and Stewart this weekend in Pomona. With muscle car enthusiasts looking for "ready to run" parts, Direct Connection serves as the source for high-performance parts and technical expertise straight from the factory.

• The Mopar CAP (Career Automotive Program) will be partnering with TSR on Friday for the final event this season. CAP consists of strategic alliances between Stellantis and over 100 colleges and trade schools teaching technical curriculum integrated into the school's general automotive program, so that students can become certified Stellantis technicians.

Tony Stewart, Driver of the TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster

How would you describe the conclusion of the 2025 season heading into the finale in Pomona?
"Myself and the Top Fuel team were hoping we would be in a position to race for the World Championship at the end of the season. But, the goal at the beginning of the season was to just see the needle move in the right direction. So, to win two races and win the regular season championship and even have an opportunity to race for the World Championship was moving the right direction. I'm proud of what the team has done this year and proud of the moves we've all made. I'm definitely looking forward to getting Leah (Pruett) back in the TSR Top Fuel car next year and I'm excited about getting ready to run for Elite Motorsports and being in their Top Fuel car. On the Funny Car side, I'm extremely proud of Mike Knudsen (crew chief) and Phil Schuler (co-crew chief) and what they've done. It was a massive change in the program from last year with a new crew chief change and co-crew chief change. Seeing what those guys have been able to do this season and still having a shot at winning the World Championship at Pomona is great. Not to mention, growing our family with Dominic has made for an awesome year. To sit there and think of a year ago when we went to Pomona for the finale and didn't even know if I was going to be coming back on race day. Here we are year later and Dominic's a year old and to have the experience at the racetrack with him this season was something that we can't even put into words. You can't plan ahead and think about what it's going to feel like, you just have to live it and experience it. Having your son grow and be at the racetrack every weekend just added to the experience, so this year has been amazing."

Matt Hagan, Driver of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car

How would you describe the conclusion of the 2025 season heading into the finale in Pomona?
"The season has been even better than I expected having a new crew chief making the calls and new decisions. Having an opportunity to win the World Championship in Pomona is huge. We've been second in points for a lot of the Countdown and that's been really impressive. It's great that we've been able to win three races this year. Expectations are always high because we have sponsors that pay a lot of money every weekend to be on our race cars and get exposure. We also have to consider that there is a learning phase to what we do out here. I'm really impressed with Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway and all the guys we have working on the car. It's exciting to see what the future holds after having such a great first season together."

What would it mean to earn your fifth Funny Car World Championship?
"To be in contention for a fifth Funny Car World Championship is huge. It would put me in a class with John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme. It's unbelievable and it's going to come down to me and the kid (Austin Prock) this next race. All we can do is show up and try to win the race and hope for the best. To have a shot at it and know it's points and a half at Pomona is exciting. We can't ask for much more. We have a lot of growing left to do, but it's been a very promising season. Winning five would be amazing and that is my goal before I walk away from my career out here. It puts you in a group with elite drivers. We'll do what we can and it's exciting to see how the cards will fall."