The NHRA Countdown to the Championship opened at Maple Grove Raceway this weekend. The Reading Nationals mark the first stop in drag racing’s six-race playoff series. Tony Stewart entered the Top Fuel postseason in contention, bringing his crossover pedigree to the table in drag racing’s highest-pressure environment. Defending champion Doug Kalitta, meanwhile, aimed to carry his regular-season momentum forward. With multiple title hopefuls locked in, the early rounds at Maple Grove displayed just how volatile the championship chase can become.

Top Fuel racing’s recent history has plenty of examples of the fragility of its high-stakes battles. Shawn Reed’s crash earlier this summer at Pacific Raceways sparked renewed scrutiny of NHRA safety. That crash was caused by a tire failure that lef

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