Tony Stewart left confused after NHRA wreck with Doug Kalitta: 'I don't have a damn clue'

If you are tuned into NHRA action today instead of NFL Sunday, you likely witnessed Tony Stewart and Doug Kalitta wreck. It was a massive, violent incident between the Top Fuel racers, but both parties appear to be okay.

Tony Stewart, 54, is fresh off winning the regular season championship. Today’s event at Reading Nationals ended in Round 2. Doug Kalitta had a front left tire malfunction after the parachutes were pulled on the run between him and Smoke. The two dragsters collided in quite a wreck.

Kalitta’s team captured the run on video and posted it on social media. It was a violent hit. For what it’s worth, Kalitta beat Stewart on the run. Kalitta was at a blistering 335.73 MPH.

Rd. 2 : @Doug_Kalitta and the @MacTools38 Top Fuel Dragster runs a 3.787 at 335.73mph for the win over T. Stewart’s 3.809 at 326.71mph. A front left tire malfunction causes Doug to crash into Tony Stewart. Both drivers get out under their own power. #ReadingNats @mobil1racing… pic.twitter.com/RwZOn6BBsq

— Kalitta Motorsports (@TeamKalitta) September 14, 2025

Here is another look at the wreck from NHRA. You hate to see this happen after the race is over and the drivers are hoping to just get these cars stopped safely.

NHRA wrecks are unlike anything you will see in motorsports. Despite a little confusion afterward, Tony Stewart said it wasn’t the worst hit he’s ever taken while racing.

“I don’t have a damn clue, honestly. I don’t remember any of it,” Stewart said, via Kelly Crandall of RACER. “The first thing I remember, they’re waking me up here. Not sure what happened. It appears to be pretty massive. … I’m as curious as everybody else is to what happened. I just know that we’re not where we’re supposed to be at the end of a run here. So, just confused.

“I got one hell of a headache and banged my left hand up. But I’ve been through sprint car crashes way worse than this, I’m pretty sure. We’re good. We’re good, we’re fine. I promise, we’re fine.”

Tony Stewart appeared shaken after Kalitta incident

At 54 years old, big wrecks like today are not what Tony Stewart wants happening. No one wants to get into these fast, violent wrecks regardless of age. In the video of the wreck that NHRA posted, Stewart was visibly shaken.

Then again, with his years of racing experience, Smoke knows what he felt. And when he talks about sprint car wrecks, he isn’t wrong. Those are some of the worst wrecks that drivers can get into. It isn’t uncommon for a big tumble in a sprint car to break bones, fracture spines, and more.

It is also unfortunate that Stewart is having trouble recalling the incident. Head injuries are the first thing you think about in these cases. Hopefully, Stewart is fine both physically and between the ears after that big hit.