IDA ZETTERSTROM Takes Down Stewart in Top Fuel First Round at St. Louis

September 28, 2025

• IDA ZETTERSTROM delivered when it mattered most, posting a perfect .000 reaction time to eliminate championship contender Tony Stewart in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations at St. Louis. Her 3.801 ET at 323.66 mph beat Stewart’s 3.927 ET, marking just his second first-round loss of the season and dealing a major blow to his title hopes with three races remaining.
• Stewart had looked strong through qualifying, securing the No. 3 position with a 3.690 ET Friday run that earned him bonus points. But when the lights went out Sunday, ZETTERSTROM’s flawless tree gave her the advantage she needed to take down the NASCAR legend turned drag racer, proving once again that in bracket racing, the driver matters as much as the horsepower.
• While Stewart heads to Dallas trailing points leader Doug Kalitta by 153 points, ZETTERSTROM’s upset win showcases exactly why we tune in – because on any given Sunday, the perfect combination of skill and timing can rewrite the script, regardless of what the qualifying sheets might suggest about who’s supposed to win.

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