Former NASCAR driver and team owner Tony Stewart stated that he would have unconditional support for his wife, Leah Pruett, and leave the Top Fuel seat if the latter wanted to return to racing in the National Hot Rod Association racing series. Stewart is racing as a replacement for his wife in the NHRA after Mrs. Stewart stepped away last year to start a family with the three-time Cup Series champion.
After Stewart parted ways with NASCAR at the end of the 2024 season, he began competing full-time in the National Hot Rod Association. His last connection with the stock car racing series was his co-ownership of Stewart-Haas Racing with Gene Haas.
Although Stewart raced part-time in the NHRA, Pruett's temporary departure from the sport put him in a full-time role. She moved away from NHRA last year after she became pregnant with Stewart's child.
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A few months after Mrs. Stewart's departure from the sport, she gave birth to her and Tony Stewart's first child, a baby boy, Dominic James Stewart, in November last year. With Stewart Jr. nearly four months old, speculations about Leah Pruett's return to the sport are strong.
Now, if Mrs. Stewart truly wants it to happen, the three-time Cup Series champion said he would not be a hurdle in the way. Speaking about this in a recent interview as per Tony Stewart Racing Nitro on X, here's what the former Cup Series driver said:
"Make this 1000% clear, so there’s no mistake and I don’t get my butt carved up on social media: That race car is her race car and when she’s ready to get back in and I will immediately get back out at whatever time, whatever event that is, or whatever events coming up...I will gladly step out for my wife.”
Tony Stewart met Leah Pruett just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. As they met, they dated throughout the quarantine and married in 2021. Three years later, they announced that they were ready to welcome their first child, and finally, in November last year, Dominic James Stewart was born.
What did Leah Pruett have to say about taking Tony Stewart's seat?
Prior to the interview, Leah Pruett touched upon how she would feel if she had to 'kick' Tony Stewart out of the NHRA seat. She is now more focused on Stewart Jr. and 'enjoying' her time with the newborn.
"When I do jump right back in, I'm even more equipped with what I've been working on,” Pruett said about replacing Stewart in NHRA, via Autoweek. “So I don't know. And really, it's about kicking Tony out of the seat. I think I'd have a harder time dealing with that.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But it is always exciting when you look forward to the future and you have something in mind. What that journey is like, I still don't know, but I'm enjoying it," she further added.
Tony Stewart is racing for his own team — the Tony Stewart Racing. He is competing in the Top Fuel Dragster category and put racer Matt Hagan in the Funny Car category.
