“Not going to tell him he can’t race”: Tony Stewart leaves NHRA door open for 86-year-old father Nelson

Nelson Stewart, father of retired three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, might be behind the wheel in a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) sportsman event. The 86-year-old has expressed interest in possibly participating in an event in the future.

One who won't tell the elder Stewart he can't do it is his son. Racing insider Kelly Crandall took to X on Tuesday afternoon to share the rumors of Nelson's racing aspirations, and how Tony won't be someone that tells him he can't do it. The former co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing was quoted saying:

"If he wants to race, by God, we're not going to tell him he can't race. ... I think Antron [Brown] has almost adopted him."

The post came in response to Crandall confirming that the 53-year-old Stewart will be back racing in the NHRA Top Fuel dragster next season. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart's wife, Leah Pruett, will continue to have her racing career on hold as she cares for the couple's newborn baby boy, Dominic.

"Tony Stewart confirms he will again run the NHRA Top Fuel dragster next season. Leah Pruett "wants to be a mom next year," Crandall wrote.

This past season, Stewart became the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year, an award that spans across all NHRA divisions and is based on a media vote. The 49-time Cup Series winner finished ninth in the Top Fuel standings and advanced to two final rounds, four semifinals, and clinched a spot in the Countdown to the Championship.

On the NASCAR side, SHR ceased operations at the end of the 2024 season after 16 years in the Cup circuit. The team won two Cup Series titles with Tony Stewart in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2014, while Cole Custer won the organization's sole Xfinity title in 2023.

Tony Stewart reflects on becoming a dad for the first time

Tony Stewart during the Ford Performance Nationals at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. - Source: Imagn

While Tony Stewart and his dad, Nelson, might be racing together in the near future, the former just became a dad for the first time. Stewart's wife, Leah Pruett, gave birth to the couple's first child, a baby boy named Dominic back on November 17.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Stewart recounted vivid details of the birth of his son, including the first time he got to hold the baby. He wrote:

"They clean up Dom, place him on Leah’s chest, and I’m in shock. I got to carry him to the table where they weighed him and measured him. Then the golden hour. Skin to skin contact for Dom and Leah. There’s a ton of value to that. More than I understood."

Since retiring from full-time Cup Series competition after the 2016 season, Stewart has made sporadic appearances in the FOX Sports TV booth and will continue in his role as co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing until its shutdown at the end of this season.