“There’s something different about Leah”: Tony Stewart once shared how a two-hour Uber ride sowed the seed of his relationship with wife Pruett

Retired NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and his wife, NHRA drag racer Leah Pruett, became first-time parents last week when Pruett gave birth to the couple's baby boy. The couple has been together since 2020 and subsequently got married in November 2021.

How the three-time Cup Series champion and the 18-time NHRA winner became a couple is quite the story, one that the former narrated on an episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast last year.

Stewart recalls meeting Pruett for lunch in Gainesville, Florida in early 2020. After sharing a meal together, Pruett suggested they order an Uber cab to Daytona for the annual Daytona Bike Week.

"She's like, 'You ever been to Bike Week?' I'm like, 'Nope, always wanted to go to Bike Week, never been there.' She's like, 'I've never been either, let's go there.' So, she orders us an uber to ride two hours and 15 minutes to Daytona in an Uber. Because we knew we were going to get banged up. You're not going to go to Bike Week and not get banged up," he said. (2:30 onwards)

Stewart went on to say he and Pruett didn't return to Gainesville from Bike Week until five o'clock the next morning. Pruett had to fly out to Las Vegas for a trade show, which gave Stewart time to stay in Gainesville for a few more days and reflect. The 49-time Cup Series winner concluded that something was different about Pruett, which prompted him to pursue her.

"I didn't have to be anywhere until Atlanta that weekend and I sat in Gainesville for a couple days and I'm like, 'That was different,'" Stewart said. "I guess that was the moment where I said, 'There's something different about this girl from all the others.'" (3:28 onwards)

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Leah Pruett said her Tony Stewart's hearts were "full" after birth of first child

A few days after the birth of their son, Dominic, Leah Pruett took to Instagram to share photos of herself, her husband Tony Stewart, and their newborn baby. In a heartfelt post, Pruett expressed her gratitude to those who congratulated them and looked forward to spending quality time with her family.

"We are so happy with hearts so full. Thank you everyone for the love texts these past couple days 😘 Giving birth was the most exhausting thing my body and mind has ever experienced. Can’t wait to recover with my lil family! 🤍," she wrote.

Pruett stepped away from NHRA competition this year to start a family with her husband. Stewart, meanwhile, went on to win the NHRA Rookie of the Year award. Since retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition after the 2016 season, Stewart has made sporadic appearances for the NASCAR on FOX broadcast team. Additionally, he continued to co-own Stewart-Haas Racing until the organization ceased operations at the end of this season.