LEAH PRUETT Returns to NHRA Top Fuel in 2026 After Motherhood Break

February 10, 2026

• LEAH PRUETT is making her comeback to NHRA Top Fuel competition in 2026 with Tony Stewart Racing after a strategic two-year break to start her family. The 12-time event winner welcomed son Dominic in November 2024, timing her return perfectly after coming off her career-best third-place overall finish in 2023.
• Here’s where it gets interesting: PRUETT will be racing directly against her husband Tony Stewart in the Top Fuel class, creating a dynamic we’ve never seen before in drag racing’s premier category. While Stewart kept her seat warm during her hiatus, she stayed connected to the team’s technical operations, proving that stepping away doesn’t mean stepping down. Her career numbers speak for themselves—3.631-second personal best, 334.15 mph top speed, and 27 consecutive years of NHRA competition starting at age 8.
• But PRUETT isn’t just returning as the same racer who left—motherhood has given her a fresh perspective that could be her secret weapon. She’s been busy during her break, authoring a children’s racing book complete with interactive digital features, showing she understands building the sport’s future starts with the next generation. Testing begins next week ahead of the Gainesville season opener in March, and we’re about to see if becoming a mom makes her even more dangerous on the track.

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