Tony Stewart Racing will take on a new race track on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series schedule. The NHRA Southern Nationals, previously contested at Atlanta Dragway, returns to the NHRA national event schedule at South Georgia Motorsports Park, just outside of Valdosta, Georgia.
Leah Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster will show off the America Rebel Beer livery for the first time in 2026. The 12-time national event winner is coming off a final quad appearance at the NHRA 4-Wide nationals where she earned semi-final points and moved from fifth to third in the Top Fuel points standings, just 76 back from the lead.
“I would say sitting third in points is a decent representation of our competitive status, especially with me coming off a two-year hiatus,” Pruett said. “We’ve captured two No. 2 qualifiers, a No. 3 qualifying position and earned the No. 1 spot in Pomona, California,” Pruett said. “I give the team a solid A in performance and effort, with me a solid B. We’ve accomplished this strong momentum together; however, I know there’s been opportunity left on my side of the table. I am trending overall in the right direction and look forward to improvement each race. Our first win of the season is coming soon.”
While South Georgia Motorsports Park is new to the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series, Pruett has some experience at the track.
“South Georgia Motorsports Park was the first place I ever went over 300 mph. The year was 2008, and I completed my Nitro Funny Car license in Jerry Toliver’s Rockstar car. I remember it like it was yesterday,” Pruett said. “In the left lane ripping though there, the car rattling at past half-track – it was the 5-disc clutch locking up – then steering hard right to stay off the wall.
“I wasn’t sure what all had happened, because my brain was still at the starting line when I turned off the track. That’s how ‘new’ my processing speed was relative to going 308 mph for the first time,” Pruett continued. “A right-side cylinder went out and tried to push me to the wall, but I was able to react and square it back up. Wild memorable ride for sure.
“Since then, I have tested there many times. Including a couple test sessions when the Dodge // SRT Demon was being developed, as well dialing in different Dodge Factory Stock Showdown cars in the last decade.”
Pruett also found success at the previous iteration of the Southern Nationals, winning at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia in 2018 and was runner-up in 2015.
Like his Top Fuel teammate, Matt Hagan whose Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car will feature the Shelor Motor Mile livery for the first time this season, has also made passes down South Georgia Motorsports Park.
“I’m excited to head into South Georgia Motorsport Park here in Valdosta. Georgia, the peach state, it’s going be good. Excited to see some new fans, excited to be back on this racetrack. I ran Pro Mod here and one of my first test sessions with Don Schumacher Racing. Gary Scelzi crawled out of his car and retired, and I crawled in his and was just lucky to even fit. We made some laps back there in the day with Tommy Delago and I kind of cut my teeth there for NHRA, so it’s got some history for me. I’m excited to be there. I’m excited to see what’s new.”
Hagan, the four-time NHRA Funny Car Champion and one of NHRA’s top 75 drivers of all-time, sits second in points, just 48 back, after driving his Dodge//SRT Hellcat to victory in NHRA’s 1000th Funny Car event at the Winternationals in California earlier this month. He’s coming off a final quad appearance at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals just four days ago.
“You know we have had a great start to the season. Confidence level is huge. Any time that you can start the season this good – get a win under your belt, go some rounds every weekend – it always builds confidence, but I think the biggest thing is the consistency. [Crew chief] Mike Knudson is not going to the guy who is only going to do well at a certain race or a certain time of the year. What I really, really like about him as far as his tuning abilities, he’s a little conservative on some things, but the consistency across the board. I don’t think we’re going to run into any weather conditions where he’s not going to have some sort of plan. Across the board, his knowledge and tuning ability is so diverse, he can adapt to whatever is thrown at him. Crew chiefs Mike and Phil [Shuler] and [car chief] Alex [Conaway] have a great baseline. These guys behind the scenes are what have kept us ahead all these years. They have a handle on what they want in different conditions and they can adapt. They put in the work, and it shows on track.”
A win this weekend would be Hagan’s 57th in Funny Car. One of those victories came at the Southern Nationals contested at Atlanta Dragway back in 2016. He also finished runner-up in 2013 and 2018. The Southern Nationals was last contested in 2021.
Competition at the NHRA Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park is scheduled to begin with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 11:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3 p.m. The threat of weather may change those times. Eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning with qualifying shows Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Eliminations will air on FS1 Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
The post Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan Ready to Take On South Georgia Motorsports Park first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
