Tony Stewart, winner of the Top Fuel Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway – NHRA Photo
Racing legend Tony Stewart moved into the NHRA Top Fuel points lead for the first time with his second win in three races on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway, defeating Justin Ashley in the final round of the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK.
Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the sixth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Stewart went 3.777-seconds at 329.10 mph in his Rinnai dragster to hold off Ashley and earn his second Top Fuel win, just more than a month after he won for the first time in his Top Fuel career in Las Vegas. It’s the fourth straight final round for Stewart and his standout team, as he also moved three points ahead of Shawn Langdon, who fell in the second round, to take the Top Fuel points lead for the first time.
Stewart, who made a career-best run of 3.679 in qualifying, defeated Terry Totten, Shawn Reed and Steve Torrence to reach the championship round. Ashley left first with a stout .042, but Stewart was right there with a .048, quickly running him down and cruising to another impressive victory in what is shaping up to be a special season for the former NASCAR and IndyCar champion.
“You’ve got to believe we’re real now at this point,” Stewart said. “I wouldn’t have said it before today. Even in Vegas (for his first win), I said we’re making progress but we’re not where we need to be yet. But it’s hard to be the points leader and not think you’re a contender now. I’m very grateful and it’s nice we’ve got a consistent car.
“We were in a position where we had to pick up the pace when it got cooler. I ran a career best 3.67 yesterday. When you race Justin you have to just run your race. We decided that you just need to do your deal the same way. He’s the best in the class and it’s hard for a crew chief to make that up. He also has the ability to bring out the best in you. That makes this more special. We respect each other. That’s what I love about NHRA.
“There’s a lot that can happen and a lot of racing left, but I’m extremely proud of our team for the progress we’ve made and where we were a year ago to where we are now.”
Ashley advanced to the championship round for the second time this season thanks to round wins against Brittany Force, reigning world champion Antron Brown and No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta to reach the finals.
Funny Car’s Jack Beckman needed his own impressive performance on the starting line, and he delivered, winning on a hole shot in the final round against John Force Racing teammate and reigning world champion Austin Prock with a run of 3.935 at 325.77 in his 12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet.
Prock went a quicker 3.933 at 329.02 and had his own solid reaction time, but Beckman went .049, which made the difference at the finish line as he earned his second victory this season and 37th in his professional career. Since returning to racing and taking over driving duties for the legendary John Force late last year, Beckman has four wins in 14 races, moving to second in points on Sunday with the memorable victory at his sponsor’s race.
The veteran and former world champion got past Dave Richards, Chad Green and Cruz Pedregon to set up the all-JFR final round. It ensured a fourth JFR win in the first six races of 2025, as both Beckman and Prock continue to roll at an impressive pace. On Sunday, though, it was Beckman who got back on track in a major way after first-round losses at the previous two events.
“Every win is great and I have a lot of trophies from places like Indy and my home track in Pomona but winning here in Chicago, a track that was off the tour for a while is as good as it gets,” said Beckman, who was making his first appearance in Chicago since 2019. “It’s also the headquarters for PEAK and we’ve got 623 employees here.
“I was off the tour since 2019 and I never thought I’d race here again. Austin Prock is great. Honestly, he’s .01 or .02 better that the rest of us. You just have to do your best. This time it all seemed to work out for us. Overall, we were good when we had to be. I try to keep an even keel but at this point, I’m more appreciative of every opportunity I get.”
Prock advanced to his third straight final, fourth this season and 24th in his career, defeating Bobby Bode, Paul Lee and defending event winner Matt Hagan. He will also remain in the points lead.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera still hasn’t tasted defeat at Route 66 Raceway, knocking off rival Matt Smith in the finals with a run of 6.777 at 198.90 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It’s the third straight Chicago victory for the back-to-back world champion and Herrera was stellar when it counted in the championship round against Smith.
He laid down a .005 reaction time, keeping Smith at bay and winning for the second time this season and the 23rd time in his career. He’s on track for another special season, too, it appears, qualifying No. 1 at the first three races, winning two of the first three races and also taking the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday to sweep the weekend in Chicago.
On Sunday, he knocked off John Hall and Chris Bostick to reach the finals before dispatching of Smith and leaving Chicago with the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead.
“The final was fun. Matt whacked the throttle and then I whacked the throttle and we both played with the stage lights. He brings out the best in me but we’ve got a fast hot rod,” Herrera said. “I had a great reaction time and we came out on top and that’s our main goal.
“I expect games when I race Matt. I actually like it. It takes me back to my grudge racing days when you’d race your friends and blow them kisses on the starting line. Matt and I haven’t got to that point yet.
“It seems like none of this is real. It’s hard to keep track and hard to take it all in. I try to be a humble guy. I don’t want to come out and say it bluntly because I prefer to just show it on the race track.”
Smith advanced to the final round for the third straight race in 2025, defeating Wesley Wells, Jianna Evaristo and Steve Johnson, and leaving Chicago second in points.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 30-June 1 with the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.