LEAH PRUETT Returns to NHRA Top Fuel After 2-Year Break at Gatornationals

March 5, 2026

• LEAH PRUETT makes her comeback to full-time NHRA Top Fuel competition after a two-year hiatus to start her family, bringing 12 national event wins and months of preparation to the 2026 Gatornationals. The return isn’t just ceremonial—she’s conducted six days of intensive testing at Gainesville Raceway to get back up to speed in machines that hit 330+ mph in under four seconds. Despite racing at Gainesville multiple times throughout her career, a Gatornationals victory remains the one accomplishment missing from her resume, making this weekend’s opener even more meaningful.
• The competitive fire is clearly burning bright again for PRUETT, who admits she hasn’t made a side-by-side pass in years but says her competitive spirit has been “reignited in a way that only driving a Top Fuel dragster with this team can do.” Her approach remains methodical—focusing on good full pulls, low qualifying times, sharp reaction times, and turning on win lights rather than getting caught up in the emotion of the moment. The testing sessions have been promising, though she’s had to scrap some off-season preparations and fine-tune others right up to race weekend.
• This Gatornationals represents another “new beginning” for PRUETT at a track that’s been pivotal throughout her career, from her first Pro Mod drive to launching Tony Stewart Racing Nitro. We’re watching a driver who’s already proven she belongs at the highest level of drag racing, but now she’s doing it on her own terms—balancing motherhood with the relentless demands of Top Fuel competition. The fact that she’s targeting her first Gatornationals win while managing this major life transition shows exactly why she’s been such a force in the sport for over a decade.

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