"It's huge for us in our organization": Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett share emotions on signing a multi-year deal with Dodge

Three-time NASCAR Cup champion and NHRA team owner Tony Stewart has signed a multi-year extension with Dodge, who will keep supporting Top Fuel and Funny Car race cars at Tony Stewart Racing (TSR).

TSR and Dodge have won 16 NHRA drag races since 2022, including Matt Hagan’s Funny Car Championship in 2023. During a pre-race press conference at Gainesville Raceway on March 7, Stewart shared his excitement about continuing the partnership with Dodge.

"It's huge for us in our organization, obviously. You know, we have to have great partners to do what we do in motorsports. And, honestly, I mean, when we talked about starting our teams with NHRA—with TSR, Dodge was the first group that came and was excited and eager to be a part of it...They've been behind us very, very strong from day one and given us the encouragement and the resources to know that we could do this and do it the right way," said Stewart (01:00 onwards).

Stewart started racing in the Top Fuel class last season to replace his wife, Leah Pruett, who is now on a break since announcing their pregnancy in 2024. The 12-time NHRA Top Fuel winner began racing in Top Fuel in 2013 and started her partnership with Dodge in 2016.

"I think, over the years, the partnership not only has just grown and transitioned into our team, but I think it's such a testament to what Dodge stands for, right? Power and muscle. And that's what our sport is all about. And I think this represents their commitment to drag racing, to professional drag racing, and what partnerships are really about," Pruett said [1:53 onwards].

The 2025 NHRA season kicked off this week at Gatornaitonals in Gainesville, but rain stopped Saturday’s races. During Friday's qualifying session, Stewart qualified in 11th place and will race Brittany Force in Round 1 on Sunday, March 9. Meanwhile, Hagan, who qualified ninth in Funny Car, will go up against fellow Dodge driver Cruz Pedregon.

Three hours of the final elimination rounds will begin at 7 pm.

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"She has a full schedule" - Tony Stewart shares wife Pruett's balancing parent and team responsibilities

Tony Stewart (left), wife Leah Pruett (center) and funny car driver Matt Hagan pose for a photo during qualifying for the Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway - Source: Imagn

Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett welcomed their first child, Dominic James Stewart, on November 18 last year. Pruett sat out the 2024 NHRA season after her best NHRA season in 2023, when she finished third overall.

During the same press conference, Stewart spoke about coming back to the track with his son.

"Having Dominic here...Leah has huge responsibilities, not only as a mom and babysitter for me, but on top of that she plays a very crucial role with the race team. She doesn’t just sit around. She's not sitting on her hands all day away from the kid—she’s working in this pit. So she has a full schedule, and we have help with Dominic here, things have gone really, really well," Tony Stewart said (7:08 onwards).

Dominic was born just hours before the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona in 2024.