91°µÍø

NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Stewart's first victory highlights Sportsman action at 91°µÍø Four-Wide Nationals

Eight champions were crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at the 91°µÍø Four-Wide Nationals, led by Tony Stewart, who scored his first career national event win in Top Alcohol Dragster.
18 Apr 2023
NHRA National Dragster staff
News
Tony Stewart

In addition to the Camping World Drag Racing Series action taking place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, eight champions were also crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at the 91°µÍø Four-Wide Nationals, led by Tony Stewart, who scored his first career national event win in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Six months after runner-upping in Las Vegas in his national event debut, motorsports hall of famer Stewart added his first NHRA trophy to his collection by driving his Rich McPhillips-tuned Mobil 1 dragster to victory in Top Alcohol Dragster. Stewart, who also has won on three of Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s other tracks, ran 5.32 to win a tight race in which all three finalists -- Todd Bruce, Chris Demke, and Mike Coughlin -- also ran in the low 5.30s. [video]

Reigning Top Alcohol Funny Car world champ Doug Gordon is making the most of his final season behind the wheel as he made it two straight wins, following his Winternationals win with another in Las Vegas. Gordon powered to a 5.50 to defeat Ulf Leanders, Brian Hough, and red-lighting Jake Guadagnolo in the final-round quad. [video]

The third time proved the charm for Travis Gusso as the two-time runner-up finally broke through for his first career win in Comp. Gusso wheeled his H/A Cobalt to a (-.49) 8.79 to defeat 50-time national event winner Jeff Taylor’s (-.44) 7.11. [video]

Two-time world champion Brad Burton is off to a red-hot start in 2023 with three final-round appearances and two wins in his first four events. Burton’s latest victory came in the Las Vegas Super Stock final against Trey Vetter, who broke out by a hundredth of a second. Burton posted a 9.579 on his 9.57 dial for the win. [video]

Much like Brad Burton in Super Stock, Kyle Rizzoli is crushing the Stock class so far this season. Rizzoli drove his Dave Bridgewater-owned ’69 Camaro past John Gray in the double-breakout final for his second-straight victory. [video]

Tanner Theobald collected career win No. 2 in Super Comp as last year’s Sonoma Nationals champ went the distance in Las Vegas. The final round was decided when opponent Doug Johnson took too much stripe and broke out with a 9.019 on the 9.05 altitude index while Theobald throttled back to a safe 9.062 winner. [video]

Tom Carlson, runner-up at his homestate event in Brainerd, Minn., in 2018 made the long tow to Las Vegas pay off with his first career win in Super Gas, putting together a nearly unbeatable package of a .007 reaction time and a near-perfect 9.053 to defeat Mark Philbrick, who was appearing in his first career final round. [video]

Mike MacBrair collected his third national event title by stopping Dan Naylor in the final of Right Trailers Top Dragster. MacBrair, the 2018 Las Vegas winner, was solid with a .029 light and a 6.411 on his 6.40 dial as Naylor broke out. [video]