Tony Stewart has been the most versatile driver post-retirement as a racer. The NASCAR legend jumped into his wife Leah Pruett’s NHRA Top Fuel ride, keeping their racing legacy alive while she was adjusting to life as a mom. You can feel the weight he’s carried—balancing his own racing instincts with supporting Leah’s new chapter. He’s been vocal about the struggle, hinting at how temporary his NHRA stint might be with that chilling line, “I might not be here long.” It’s not just about the physical toll of racing but also emotional. He’s torn between the track and giving Leah space to shine again.
Tony Stewart and his wife Leah Pruett are making waves in the NHRA scene, blending family life with racing passion. Recently, Tony teamed up with Matt Hagan to debut striking new Dodge//SRT machines at the 2025 NHRA Gator Nationals, kicking off the season with bold red-and-blue designs. Smoke recently said, “To have racing partners like Dodge/SRT, Mopar, and Direct Connection has been a great asset for our TSR team, as well as the entire drag-racing sport.” But here’s where it gets interesting.
Recently Pruett called herself a forever “Dodge mom” after stepping away to start a family with Tony. Is this an indication of something cooking? Let’s find out.
Leah Pruett is back and strapped
Let’s dive deeper into this emotional crossroads for Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart. When she stepped away from the driver’s seat last year to focus on family with Tony, you could sense the sacrifice. Racing isn’t just a job for her, it’s who she is. She traded the roar of the dragstrip for the quieter, tender moments of motherhood and she embraced it fully. But that fire inside her? It never went out.
Their son Dominic’s arrival hasn’t dimmed her drive. She’s eyeing a comeback, proving the Stewart-Pruett duo keeps racing in their blood, on and off the track. She’s been crystal clear about her love for their son. Take his first St. Patrick’s Day where she lit up talking about it, tying it to her Irish heritage in a way that showed how deeply family runs in her veins. She’s shared how those moments ground her, like when she gushed over their son’s first steps amidst the racing chaos. But the track’s pull is relentless. Stewart’s racing team shared an Instagram post captioned, “Just like riding a bike… @leah.pruett took over Q2 warmup at the #ArizonaNats”.We could see her stepping into a mean machine in the garage preparing for her practice run. And, let’s say we all saw this coming.
Remember Tony Stewart’s lines from last week? “That race car is her race car. And when she’s ready to get back in, I will immediately get back out at whatever time, whatever event that is, or whatever event’s coming up. If mid-season she says, ‘I want to get back in that car,’ I will gladly step out of that car for my wife.” Stewart fought back his teary eyes claiming, “I’ll probably be crying at the same time, but I will not hesitate to get out of that car.” Tony’s eerie foreshadowing set the stage for this. He knew Leah’s itch to race was growing stronger and he’s seen it in her eyes, heard it in her voice.
When he hinted at an early NHRA exit, it wasn’t defeat; it was him passing the torch back. And Leah’s bold move showing up in the garage, ready to reclaim her seat was her way of grabbing it with both hands. It’s her telling Tony, the fans, and maybe even herself that she’s not done yet. She revealed, “My heart says that I’ll be back in a race car. I don’t know which one it will be or what category, what class, or what year, but it will be there, because I’m so involved with the team, specifically the Top Fuel team, on a couple projects. I’ve kept very busy so that I don’t lose involvement.”
She’s admitted it’s her “biggest roadblock” not because she can’t race, but because stepping away left a void. That Instagram reel, where she teases her NHRA return, feels like her breaking free, saying, ‘I can do both.’ Leah stepping back into the NHRA spotlight isn’t just a career move; it’s her reclaiming a part of her soul that’s been on pause. This isn’t just a comeback it’s a balancing act. Leah’s not choosing racing over family or family over racing but she’s weaving them together.
Stewart and Hagan are positive of a win
Calling all Drag racing fans to attention. The NHRA Arizona Nationals are heating up at Firebird Motorsports Park, and I’m feeling the adrenaline already. Tony Stewart and Matt Hagan from Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) are ready to tear up the track, and we can’t wait to see them in action. Tony, in his Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster, is chasing his first win here. He’s seventh in the standings, just 69 points behind Antron Brown. “Last year, I made it to the semifinals,” he said, “but lost to Justin Ashley. This time, I’m hungry for more.”
Then there’s Matt Hagan, rolling in with his Johnson’s horse-powered Garage Funny Car. He’s fourth in the standings, only 39 points off Chad Green, and he owns this track with a record 3.823-second run from 2022. “Gainesville showed our team’s strength,” Matt says. “With Mike and Phil leading us, we’ve got a solid shot at Phoenix. Every point matters.” We’re getting chills thinking about him flying down that strip again and he’s a fighter, and it shows.
Both guys are pumped for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, too. It’s a chance to grab extra points, and they’re all in. Tony’s got memories of winning nearby in NASCAR back in ’99, and Matt’s three victories here (2015, 2017, 2019) make him a hometown hero. “We’re ready to attack,” Matt added.
We’re rooting for them hard. The desert’s going to rumble, and bet TSR brings the thunder. Let’s cheer them on as Tony and Matt are out to make Leah Pruett proud!
The post Tony Stewart’s Wife Leah Pruett’s Bold Gesture Takes NHRA Garage by Surprise Days After Smoke’s Eerie Foreshadowing appeared first on EssentiallySports.