Tony Stewart Dismisses Fans’ Misconceptions About NHRA: Highlights Drag Racing’s Higher Stakes Compared to NASCAR & IndyCar

Tony Stewart, owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, weighed in on the debate about whether NASCAR, IndyCar, or NHRA are preferable. During a discussion at Race Industry Week 2023, he revealed his belief that there are a lot of things people don’t understand about drag racing.

One of the main points he made is the perception among some fans that the NHRA is just a straight race, speeding in a straight line, without any element of real competition. Stewart responded to the host’s question about this opinion and noted that this is a misperception.”I don’t understand it. Even if the track goes straight, if you stand directly behind these cars, almost none of them go straight,” he said.

Drawing on his experience driving a top-end boozy dragster this year due to his wife Leah Prewett’s hiatus, he stressed that NHRA is not just about throttle and brakes but something much more complex. He talked about how he realized while behind the wheel that driving a drunk car required making decisions similar to those made by drivers Matt and Leah.One of the key points that Stewart highlighted is the difference in approach to mistakes and problems during racing.

In NASCAR and IndyCar, due to the length of the races, the team has plenty of time to recover from mistakes. However, in NHRA, where racing lasts just 3.7 seconds, every decision made is critical, and drivers must be prepared to make instant corrections or even abandon the race.”There are a lot of things that people don’t realize that drivers go through when they drive these race cars,” Stewart concluded.

In this way, Tony Stewart’s opinion sheds light on fans’ misunderstandings about drag racing, noting its complexity and increased stakes compared to longer NASCAR and IndyCar races. This look at drag racing may change the perception of the sport among racing fans.