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Time of India
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
12x Top Fuel winner Leah Pruett's comeback plan begins as Tony Stewart Racing grants test day wish
Leah Pruett (Image Source: Getty) Leah Pruett made headlines back in early 2024, but this time it's one of her cars rather than her son, Dominic James. After sitting out the previous two events to recover, the 12-time NHRA Top Fuel winner returned to action on June 23 during a private test session hosted by Tony Stewart Racing at Virginia Motorsports Park. As for a return to full-time play, there is still no official announcement. However, this is a significant indicator of her return to the sport since she stepped away from competition. It came in the waning days following the Virginia NHRA Nationals and allowed Pruett to reacclimate to her dragster in an easy-going, post-race atmosphere. Leah Pruett's surprise test run signals readiness to return Pruett, who drove the No. 14 TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel dragster, amassed numerous passes down the race track without missing a beat. It was more than symbolic: with that run, she shed any wayward uncertainty and got reacquainted with the car she knows better than anybody. Pruett walked away to concentrate on family life but remained very much aligned with the team during the year, also continuing her work in areas of operations, testing, and mentorship. But to the sources close to the team, it was not a publicity stunt, but rather a significant step to a return to competitiveness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Install the Perfect Pool at Home – Start Here Backyard Pool | Search Ads Learn More Undo There is no concrete timetable for her return within the actual competitive season, but everything seems to point towards a return within the next year or so. Tony Stewart's continued support—on and off the track Tony Stewart, who stepped into Pruett's shoes in 2024 and captured NHRA Rookie of the Year honors, has always maintained that the door is wide open for her to return. She has a family reason for stepping back, and he has always been supportive of her decision, saying he will happily step back whenever she wants. Also Read: 'Wear your lucky underwear': Alex Bowman Jr's weird ritual shocks NASCAR fans after crash During this time, Stewart stayed involved as a key force in keeping the Top Fuel program and was supportive of the program, ensuring the team continued to stay ready for her eventual return in Top Fuel. His encouragement and dedication fostered an atmosphere that strikes a balance between family and performance. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
CBS News
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
With NASCAR days behind him, Tony Stewart is a winner at drag racing
Hall of Fame racecar driver Tony Stewart cruised by CBS Chicago downtown on Wednesday. The motorsports legend will be back behind the wheel next month at the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet. Stewart is a native Midwesterner himself — from Columbus, Indiana 40 miles south of Indianapolis. The three-time NASCAR Cup champ shifted his gears to drag racing after two decades in NASCAR. Last year, he took over driving duties from his wife, Leah Pruett, and recently became a first-time father at 53 when his son, Dominic, was born in November. Stewart said he still has some smoke in the tank when it comes to racing. The 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year won his first Top Fuel race a little over two weeks ago in Las Vegas. "Finally got our first win at Vegas — at a four-wide event at that — so yeah, it was nice to finally get the first one under our belt, and you know, I told our crew guys at the end of the day when we had our team meeting, I said, 'The best part of this is here on out, we get to go to the track and show up, and we don't have to worry about answering questions: 'Are you, or when are you going to win a race,'" Stewart said. "We've got that. We've checked that box off. Now we can show up and just race on the weekends. And people don't really understand how much pressure there was to win that first race." Stewart said bringing a baby along to the racetrack puts a little extra pressure on his wife — but it's great nonetheless. "We're at the racetrack. We have him at the track, and she still works full-time in the track. So her schedule is a little busier and a little more hectic," he said. "You know, for me, I love it. I mean, I love the fact that when we're at the drag races, we have our hospitality trailer and tent there, and entertaining our guests and our sponsors, and knowing that he's literally 30 feet away from the trailer that I'm racing out of all day, and I can go out there and check on him." Stewart added that he is done with NASCAR, but he's more than happy to have fans who enjoy both NASCAR and drag racing. "Zero chance here we're going to see me back in NASCAR. It is fun to meet people that watched us forever — a lot of these people know more about me than I know about me at this point, it seems like — but it's fun to see a lot of NASCAR fans coming to drag races, and the overwhelming response at the end of the day was, 'We had no idea.' When you ask these fans like, 'Well, what'd you think about it?' They're like, 'We had no idea.' I remind them like, 'Hey, you can still watch NASCAR — you can just add this!'" The Route 66 Nationals are happening at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet May 16-18.
