Tony Stewart earns NHRA win with Rookie of the Year honors

While Tony Stewart is still searching for his first Top Fuel event win in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the three-time NASCAR Cup champion scored a nice victory off the track on Monday.

Stewart defeated a strong field of NHRA rookies to win the NHRA Rookie of the Year Award, it was announced late Monday at the series’ annual awards ceremony in California. National motorsports media that cover the sport vote on the award. Media members voting are instructed to consider the number of events attended, on- and off-track performance, participation in NHRA promotions and relationships with fans, sponsors and media.

The 53-year-old Stewart led a field of rookies that also included Brandon Foster, Sienna Wildgust and Derrick Reese of the Pro Stock class, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Richard Gadson, Top Fuel racer Jasmine Salinas; Funny Car driver Daniel Wilkerson and Top Fuel racer Ida Zetterstrom.

Stewart, who drives for his own Tony Stewart Racing and raced the season as a replacement for wife Leah Pruett (sitting out the season to start a family), finished ninth in the final Top Fuel standings. He reached the semi-finals in five events and reached two final rounds. Stewart posted a 17-20 record in elimination rounds.

One of Stewart’s biggest days of the season came in the season finale at Pomona, where he advanced to the semifinals before losing to Doug Kalitta. The run took place on the same day that Stewart and Pruett announced the birth of the couple’s first child. That event also produced a career-best run of 3.688 seconds at 534.73 mph.

Stewart’s top challengers for rookie honors were Gadson, who finished third in the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings and advanced to three final rounds, and Wilkerson, who finished seventh in a strong Funny Car class.

“It is a great honor to win this award this season,” said Stewart. “There are some great drivers in the NHRA and it is one of the most diverse forms of motorsports I have been a part of. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the series this season to promote and grow the sport.”

NHRA Rookie of the Year Winners

2024 – Tony Stewart, Top Fuel

2023 – Chase Van Sant, Pro Stock motorcycle

2022 – Camrie Caruso, Pro Stock

2021 – Dallas Glenn, Pro Stock

2020 – Justin Ashley, Top Fuel

2019 – Austin Prock, Top Fuel

2018 – Bill Litton, Top Fuel

2017 – Browner Gray, Pro Stock

2016 – Cory Reed, Pro Stock Motorcycle

2015 – Drew Skillman, Pro Stock

2014 – Richie Crampton, Top Fuel

2013 – Brittany Force, Top Fuel

2012 – Courtney Force, Funny Car

2011 – Hector Arana Jr., Pro Stock motorcycle

2010 – LE Tonglet, Pro Stock motorcycle

2009 – Spencer Massey, TopFuel

2008 – Mike Neff, Funny Car

2007 – Ashley Force Hood, funny car

2006 – JR Todd, Top Fuel

2005 – Robert Hight, Funny Car

2004 – Jason Line, Pro Stock

2003 – Brandon Bernstein, TopFuel

2002 – Gene Wilson, Pro Stock

2001 – Darrell Russell, TopFuel

*GT Tonglet, Pro Stock motorcycle

2000 – Don Lampus, Top Fuel

*Melanie Troxel, Top Fuel

1999 – Scotty Cannon, funny car

*Antron Brown, Pro Stock motorcycle

1998 – Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock

*Doug Kalitta, Top Fuel

1997 – Gary Scelzi, TopFuel

*Ron Capps, funny car

1996 – Mike Edwards, Pro Stock

Matt Hines, Pro Stock motorcycle

*Tony Pedregon, funny car

1995 – Larry Dixon, Top Fuel

1994 – Bob Vandergriff Jr., Top Fuel

1993 – Kurt Johnson, Pro Stock

1992 – Danielle DePorter, Top Fuel

1991 – Del Worsham, Funny Car

1990 – KC Spurlock, funny car

*NOTE Between 1996 and 2001, two separate awards were presented to recognize rising stars, one for NHRA Rookie of the Year and the Auto Club Road to the Future Award.