Tony Stewart Announced Champion at 54 Adding Yet Another Racing Series in Decorated Career

Tony Stewart’s colorful racing journey has spanned nearly every discipline motorsport has to offer. From winning three NASCAR Cup Series titles to hoisting trophies in IndyCar, USAC, and even as a team owner, Stewart has consistently proven his adaptability. In 2024, he pivoted once again, stepping into NHRA’s Top Fuel drag racing ranks. This was a challenge unlike anything he had faced before. The discipline required precision reactions, massive horsepower control. Stewart had a willingness to start from scratch. Throughout 2025, Stewart’s consistency and breakthrough wins kept him near the top in the standings. But he wasn’t quite there yet, until the very hopeful happened now.

The U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis represented a pivotal and somewhat fortuitous moment. As the last event before the Countdown to the Championship, the race carried 1.5× points. This meant every round had championship implications. Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, and Stewart entered the weekend in a tight battle for the regular-season crown. The stakes extended beyond prestige, and there was a $150,000 bonus for the points leader. For Stewart, at 54, the event was a chance to validate his place among drag racing’s elite. And his efforts finally bore fruit.

Tony Stewart secures the title

The drama began with Langdon’s early exit. As Kelly Crandall reported, “Shawn Langdon entered the day as the point leader but was eliminated in the first round.” That result cracked the door open for Stewart and Kalitta to capitalize. Both advanced out of the opening round, immediately reshuffling the standings and putting Stewart in a prime position. Every staging light from then carried championship weight.

The decisive moment came in the middle rounds. Crandall detailed that “Stewart and Doug Kalitta advanced to the second round. Stewart then advanced to the third round while Kalitta was eliminated.” That separation secured Stewart the regular-season Top Fuel championship, pending the standard post-race checks. The significance stretched beyond just points. At 54, Stewart added another discipline to his resume. As Crandall announced the winners, he had become the regular-season champion in his rookie full-time campaign.

Reflecting on the pressure of the day, Stewart drew a personal comparison to one of his greatest NASCAR achievements. “It was weird, when I woke up this morning, I had the same feeling the two years that we won the Brickyard 400.” Stewart captured the Indy crown jewel twice in his Cup career. For him, this moment represented the same magnitude of occasion he felt in Indianapolis. He went on to further comment on his mindset.  “You can’t explain it, you just know what you know. It doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee but it sure … puts you in the right frame of mind.” His words highlighted not just the familiarity of big-race nerves, but also the sense that he had entered the event with the confidence of a champion.

For a driver who has conquered NASCAR’s crown jewels, won IndyCar races, and led sprint car circuits, this latest milestone showcases his unmatched versatility. It also positions him as a legitimate contender for the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, where he will now enter with momentum, a financial bonus, and the validation that he belongs among drag racing’s best.

Fatherhood brings Tony Stewart back on the track

Tony Stewart has built a career and won it all. But in 2025, his focus has extended beyond racing. This year, he embraces fatherhood after welcoming his son, Dominic James Stewart, last November. The shift to become a parent-driver has reshaped his priorities. It has been revealed that life’s sweetest victories now come off the track. And yet, racing continues to call. Thankfully, Stewart has found a way to merge these worlds in unforgettable ways.

At the NHRA event in Indianapolis, Stewart reunited with the roar of engines. Only this time, the spotlight wasn’t on his dragster. Instead, it turned to the “Baby Walker Nationals,” a toddler race that put the future of Tony Stewart Racing in front and center. The event highlights how Stewart’s life on the track now dances in tandem with his life at home.

Kelly Crandall captured the magic in a single, vivid description. “If you had Tony Stewart in his NHRA fire suit holding a stuffed animal trying to get his son Dom to win the toddler race at Indianapolis in the year 2025, please collect your winnings.” That playful image of Stewart clad in fireproof gear, toy in hand, distills the joy and tenderness of the day. It wasn’t the roar of engines to be heard. Rather, the quiet thrill of parenthood won the crowd’s hearts that day.

Ahead of the race, Stewart Racing teased the moment live on X. “Dom’s first Race Day! Getting some warmup laps in before the Baby Walker Nationals at 12:20 pm! Watch them along the return road in front of the grandstands.” It was pure family meets fandom. Stewart was in racing mode, sharing a first for his son in equal measure. That orange plush toy wasn’t just a motivator. It was a symbol that, for Stewart, racing now includes the triumphs of fatherhood. And for motorsport fans, it was a tender reminder that even legends make the best cheerleaders.