“I cried on the plane”: Tony Stewart recalls the unforgettable moment his wife Leah Pruett’s reaction moved him to tears

By Aneesh

Modified Apr 22, 2025 11:30 GMT

Tony Stewart- NHRA: Vegas Four Wide Nationals - Source: Imagn

Tony Stewart recalled crying on the plane after claiming his first NHRA Top Fuel win. Speaking to Speed Freaks a few days after his triumph, the former NASCAR driver expressed how his wife Leah Pruett's reaction moved him to tears.

Stewart debuted in the NHRA Top Fuel last year, replacing Pruett, who took a break to start a family in 2023. The 53-year-old NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC champion quickly gelled with the dragster, finishing ninth in the season and earning Rookie of the Year honors.

Unlike the regular NHRA events, the four-wide category is renowned for troubling the veteran drivers. Unlike two dragsters in one race, four Top Fuel machines compete in a single event, from which the top two advance to the next round.

Nonetheless, Stewart's versatility earned him the highly coveted win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pruett gave birth to Dominic five months ago. She and the baby were at the venue to witness Stewart dominate the field. However, he wasn't aware of how Pruett reacted to his victory until he saw the race replay.

But when Tony Stewart saw Pruett's reaction, he "cried on the plane."

"Seeing the reaction on her face, I literally was on the plane when I finally got to see the video, and I'm not embarrassed to say that I cried on the plane, watching her reaction. It meant so much to me to see her that excited," Stewart said (11:00).

While Stewart has taken over the reins of his 12-time Top Fuel race winner wife, Pruett has yet to announce her NHRA future.

Tony Stewart makes his feelings known after first NHRA Top Fuel win

Tony Stewart- NHRA: Vegas Four Wide Nationals - Source: Imagn

Tony Stewart bested even the most challenging NHRA discipline, upsetting Antron Brown, Jasmine Salinas, and Justin Ashley to claim his career-first Top Fuel victory. The Indiana native topped 317.42 mph, clocking the fastest run of 3.870 seconds.

With that, Stewart has aced every professional racing event hosted by the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He already had the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series race win and a USAC win at the track, and with his triumph on Sunday, he has added NHRA to his decorated resume.

"You sure as hell appreciate it more when you struggle like we did. All the credit goes to this team. I'm so proud of my guys. There's so many great partners here and I have a great team standing there. I have a feeling I'm really going to be hurting in the morning, but it sure as hell is going to be worth it," Stewart said via ESPN.

It's worth mentioning that Tony Stewart became the 999th Top Fuel race winner at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

About the author

Aneesh is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda and covers both NASCAR and Formula 1. An ardent sports fan since his early lawn tennis days, he has showcased his keenness in NASCAR, and has already garnered 5 million views at Sportskeeda thanks to his meticulous work.

When it comes to NASCAR, his top picks are Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain, while in Formula 1, he fervently supports Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. He believes F1 should continue to have more races in courses than in street circuits and feels NASCAR should be more proactive about global promotions to reach F1’s popularity level.

He is very particular about his sourcing for articles, largely relying on the official website of F1 and NASCAR, and relies on understanding different perspectives by browsing through social media and reputed publications for unique story angles.

Even in his spare time, Aneesh is keen to learn more about F1 cars and studies various aspects of them, including its design and engine. He enjoys driving himself and often explores new parts of his city when he can.

Know More

Edited by Aneesh