Tony Stewart to run full season in NHRA Top Alcohol dragster

NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart will return to full-time competition this season — as an NHRA drag racer.

Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion, will run a Top Alcohol dragster for McPhillips Racing for the full 2023 NHRA season. Stewart, who turns 52 in May, will be sponsored by longtime partner Mobil 1.

Stewart made his NHRA debut in a Top Alcohol dragster last October at the Nevada Nationals, where he advanced to the finals and finished second by .0002 of a second. Stewart's 5.258-second, 271.57 mph run in the finals came up just 1 inch short of the win.

Stewart, who owns a sprint car team and is co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing in NASCAR, last year started an NHRA team that fields one dragster in Top Fuel for his wife, Leah Pruett, and Funny Car for Matt Hagan.

«We've been working on putting this package together with the McPhillips family to expand on what we did at Las Vegas last year and get back in the seat,» Stewart said. «I want to keep learning about the sport and have the opportunity to go compete more this year with a team I really enjoy.

»It's nerve-wracking to try and do something different, but when you have a team like what the McPhillips Racing team has, it makes everything a lot easier."

Stewart, who has won championships in NASCAR, IndyCar and USAC, will be competing for the NHRA National Championship this year. Top Alcohol drivers are eligible to earn points at their first 10 national events. Their best six national finishes from their eligible points earning events will constitute their championship points total.

Stewart isn't sure a title is in reach.

«It's hard to sit there and know what expectations we should have for the year,» Stewart said. «I think as long as I keep learning more and more as