**Tony Stewart Earns No. 1 Qualifying Spot and #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Victory at Bristol Dragway**
**BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 7, 2025)** — Tony Stewart made headlines again on Saturday at Bristol Dragway, delivering a powerful performance that reminded the NHRA world he’s not just a NASCAR legend, but a Top Fuel threat.
In a dominant outing, Stewart secured the **No. 1 qualifying position** for Sunday’s eliminations at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. But he didn’t stop there — just hours later, Stewart **captured the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win** in Top Fuel, besting a stacked mini-field of rivals in Saturday’s special showdown.
### A Breakthrough Day for Smoke
This marks Stewart’s first No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel, a major milestone as he continues to prove his place in the NHRA elite ranks. His blistering **3.682-second pass at 332.91 mph** came during Saturday’s second session, rocketing his Mobil 1 dragster to the top of the charts.
“**This is what we’ve been building toward,**” Stewart said in his post-run interview. “**It’s been a learning curve all year, but this car is flying now. And to get the win in the #2Fast2Tasty deal on the same day? It’s a dream.**”
### Winning the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge
Stewart’s win in the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge — a fan-favorite bonus race held during qualifying weekends — came after knocking off reigning champ Justin Ashley in the final round. Stewart’s reaction time and straight-line consistency were the difference makers, as he laid down a clean and fast 3.70-second pass.
“**We’ve been inching closer every weekend. To finally put it all together on a Saturday like this, in front of a crowd like Bristol? Unreal.**” Stewart said, clearly emotional.
### Turning Heads in Year One
Stewart’s full-time leap into Top Fuel in 2025 has been one of the sport’s most-watched storylines. With his growing comfort in the cockpit, paired with support from Leah Pruett and the TSR team, Stewart is quickly evolving from a curiosity into a legitimate championship dark horse.
Crew chief Neal Strausbaugh credited the team’s growing chemistry:
“**Tony’s learning curve has been steep, but he’s relentless. This weekend shows what happens when everything clicks. We’re proud of him.**”
### Eyes on Sunday
With momentum from the qualifying sweep and #2Fast2Tasty win, Stewart heads into Sunday’s eliminations as a clear favorite — and a crowd favorite, too.
“**Now the real work begins,**” Stewart said. “**We’ve got a car that can win. Now we’ve gotta go out and do it four times tomorrow.**”
Sunday’s action at Bristol Dragway promises to be electric, with Stewart firmly in the spotlight — and perhaps, on the verge of his **first career Top Fuel Wally**.
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Let me know if you’d like post-race coverage or a deep dive into Tony Stewar
t’s transition from NASCAR to NHRA.
