Leah Pruett will return to NHRA competition next season, a little over a year after welcoming a son with NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart.
Stewart has been driving the Top Fuel Dragster for Tony Stewart Racing since Pruett stepped aside ahead of the 2024 season to focus on starting a family. Their son, Dominic, was born in November of that year.
Pruett has spent the last two seasons still involved in the day-to-day operations at TSR, where she worked with partners on marketing initiatives and assisted the crew chiefs with technical projects.
âIâd first like to thank Tony, the team, and our partners for allowing me the necessary time on my hiatus to start our family, learn motherhood, and welcome me back,â Pruett said. âTony has done an incredible job behind the wheel, as many would expect, but I know how much heâs devoted himself to being the best âdriver replacementâ he can be, and I couldnât be more proud and thankful for him.â
Pruett said a test at Richmond earlier this year âvalidated my eagerness and passion for racing Top Fuelâ and she delayed announcing her 2026 return as she and Stewart kept their focus on the current season.
Pruett, who began drag racing when she was 8 years old, is a 12-time NHRA Top Fuel winner. Pruett finished a career-high third in the 2023 Top Fuel standings â the best of her 14-year career.
Matt McAlear, the CEO of Dodge, said the Tuesday announcement feels like Pruett âis coming home.â
âWe appreciate the incredible job that team owner and motorsports legend Tony Stewart is doing filling in for Leah in the race car as the couple starts their family with son Dominic, and we will continue to root for Tony as he fights for the 2025 NHRA Top Fuel championship,â McAlear said. “But Tony has always said it was Leahâs race car, and we totally support the Stewartsâ decision and look forward to a successful future ahead at the dragstrip for Dodge and Tony Stewart Racing.â
Stewart finished the 2024 season ninth in the Top Fuel point standings and earned the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year title. In 2025 thus far, Stewart has earned two Top Fuel victories at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas and the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois.
He clinched the 2025 NHRA Regular Season Championship at the 71st Annual NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, and he enters the Countdown to the Championship at Maple Grove Raceway in the Top Fuel points lead. His plans for 2026 are undecided.
âIâm excited to see Leah get back in a race car,â Stewart said. âSheâs done such an amazing job of becoming a mother and going through a whole year of pregnancy and our first year with Dominic. I know deep down inside that she wants to drive that race car really bad, so Iâm just excited to see her get that opportunity again.
“I appreciate what sheâs done to help our family and help this entire race team. Sheâs been a very critical part of this teamâs success and projects that weâre working on, so she hasnât sat on her hands by any means, but first and foremost, I know she wants to drive that car more than anything.â
Pruett will be teamed with existing Funny Car driver Matt Hagan, a four-time Funny Car champion who earned TSRâs first championship in 2023. Hagan earlier this year signed a multi-year contract extension with TSR.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
