Tony Stewart Racing is getting in to the drag racing circuit. Stewart's wife will be the primary driver on the team.
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Dodge//SRT and Mopar are teaming up with a new team owner for the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Dodge will still be supporting the same two main drivers. Leah Pruett will drive the TSR Top Fuel Dragster and Matt Hagan will still pilot the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car.
This is Tony Stewart Racing’s first venture into NHRA racing. Stewart and Pruett just got married in Mexico, November 21, 2021. Marco Andretti posted photos and video of the wedding on Instagram.
Pruett’s Dodge//SRT History
Leah Pruett has partnered with Dodge//SRT and Mopar since 2016. She is a nine-time Top Fuel national event winner. This season Pruett will drive a TSR Top Fuel dragster with Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection livery.
“It was very important to me to continue the close relationship I’ve had with Dodge//SRT and Mopar in this new journey with Tony Stewart Racing,” says Pruett. “I’m appreciative of the support that Dodge and Mopar, and all their fans, have shown me these past few years and I’m proud to fly their colors as we move forward together and work to bring home wins and a championship in 2022. Having Direct Connection branding on my dragster this season is really exciting because it has such a rich history of success at the drag strip with racers like Don Garlits, and it’s amazing to help continue to build on that legacy and introduce it to a new generation of Dodge enthusiasts.”
“The Dodge brand has a long history of competing in and supporting motorsports.” says Tim Kuniskis, Dodge Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “For nearly a decade, NHRA drag racing has been our primary motorsports focus, helping deliver products like the Dodge Demon, 1320 and Super Stock; cars that resonate with the Brotherhood of Muscle. These vehicles will hold a place in muscle-car history for years to come. The Dodge brand embodies the philosophy of the 'last tenth,' and we are not done pushing the performance envelope. So, we are extremely excited to partner with Tony Stewart and his drag racing team to help take Dodge to the next level. Tony is a racing legend with an attitude, personality and competitive drive that aligns perfectly with our goals.”
“I'm really pleased to have Dodge//SRT and Mopar as partners with our new NHRA venture as manufacturer and sponsor for our two entries in Top Fuel and Funny Car with Leah and Matt," says Tony Stewart, TSR team owner. "It shows confidence in your program when an OEM wants to be on your team and for you to help support their program as well. They have obviously had a great relationship with both drivers for the last few years and to be able to continue that association is key to this team's success and a huge benefit to the continuity for everyone involved. Having that kind of history definitely helps flatten the learning curve while raising expectations for our inaugural NHRA season. It'll be nice to work with Dodge and Mopar again after sharing success together in USAC and the World of Outlaws nearly two decades ago. We are certainly setting the bar high and look forward to being competitive from the start."
Matt Hagan’s Extensive Dodge History
Three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion (2011, 2014, 2020) Matt Hagan has partnered with Dodge//SRT and Mopar since 2009. Hagan’s Tony Stewart Racing Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car will also carry the Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection colors.
“My family has been a Dodge dealer since 1979 and we’re really proud of that. We’re also ready to celebrate Mopar’s 85th anniversary this year as we battle for a championship with a few wins along the way.”
Pruett’s Secret Tie to the Dodge Never Lift Campaign
The announcement about the addition of the Tony Stewart Racing Team comes as part of the Dodge Never Lift campaign. The two-year campaign provides a road map to Dodge’s electrified future. This major announcement opened a garage door on the 24 Months of Muscle calendar. To see all of the milestones, visit Dodgegarage.com/never-lift to view the 24 Months of Muscle calendar. A huge part of the Dodge campaign is the creation of the specialized Dodge Power Brokers dealers and the Direct Connection performance parts. Pruett took part in some of the testing for the new parts that can transform street cars into potential racing beasts.
“While Dodge//SRT was developing the new Drag Pak, we were also testing and developing some of the stage kits,” Pruett said. “It seemed almost unbelievable that an OEM would make available various stage kits capable of adding so much additional power, all while maintaining the car’s warranty. To be on the presenting side of a massive program that I contributed to, while watching it progress in pure secrecy, makes me incredibly proud to run Direct Connection and Power Brokers on my Top Fuel dragster.”
Tony Stewart is a NASCAR racing legend. He is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion as a driver, winning titles in 2002, 2005, and 2011. Stewart co-owns NASCAR’s Stewart-Haas Racing. He started Tony Stewart Racing in 2000 and fields teams in World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and All Star Circuit of Champions.
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