Countdown Spots Locked, Pruett and Hagan Ready for NHRA Brainerd Nationals

Round 13 at Brainerd International Raceway is pivotal for Tony Stewart Racing, with Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan secured for the 2026 Countdown and eyeing stronger seeding ahead of playoffs.

Returning full-time after maternity break, Pruett holds third in Top Fuel with Rush Truck Centers dragster, built on a season featuring Bristol victory, Arizona runner-up, and two No. 1 starts.

Consistency underpins her campaign, with only one first‑round exit. Securing a Countdown spot sharpens focus on maximizing seedings after a three‑week break that included testing and promotional duties.

Off‑track, Pruett stayed sharp during the break with Dodge’s Roadkill Nights activations, supporting peer teams, and Top Fuel testing alongside Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield.

Brainerd suits Pruett. She won Top Fuel here in 2019 and took No. 1 in 2017, with the track’s typically clear, cool air rewarding efficient power and disciplined lane calls.

She also targets a first win carrying the Rush Truck Centers primary livery, with CEO Rusty Rush attending, adding corporate impetus to a program already executing clean, consistent weekends.

On the Funny Car side, Hagan arrives near the points summit in the American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat, his two 2026 wins having locked a Countdown place early.

Victories at the Winternationals with Tony Stewart and Bristol’s Thunder Valley anchor momentum. A Northwest Nationals semifinal preceded the layoff, sharpening appetite for testing and execution once the lights drop.

Hagan’s experience is deep: 57 Funny Car wins, four at Brainerd, and multiple No. 1s. He credits the venue’s atmosphere and committed fans for producing relentlessly quick, competitive sessions.

Cool northern air can unleash speed, though midday heat and evolving rubber complicate tuning windows. Brainerd’s long shutdown and tidy surface reward teams willing to push clutch and fuel strategies.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals schedule features four nitro qualifying rounds Friday and Saturday, plus the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge including Pruett and Hagan. Eliminations start Sunday morning.

FOX Sports 1 carries live qualifying and eliminations from Brainerd International Raceway, extending coverage of an event central to playoff positioning.

For Tony Stewart Racing, dual entries already secured shifts emphasis to execution and incremental gains. With points compressed for the Countdown, every qualifying bonus and lane choice carries outsized value.

Beyond TSR, the weekend’s broader Brainerd storylines are explored in our race-week notebook, framing the strategic backdrop to a critical summer event.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.