Leah Pruett has announced her decision to step away from racing in 2024 in order to prioritize starting a family with her husband, Tony Stewart. 

Stewart, who had a successful season racing as a Top Alcohol Dragster for McPhillips Racing, will take over Pruett’s seat in the Top Fuel category at Tony Stewart Racing (TSR).

Pruett, a 12-time NHRA Top Fuel event winner, expressed her gratitude for the impact racing has had on her life and acknowledged the difficulty of her decision. She finished the 2023 season in third place in the Top Fuel championship standings, marking her highest ranking in her 14-year Top Fuel career.

While Pruett is enthusiastic about her husband taking on the racing role, she remains involved with the team and will contribute to technical projects throughout 2024.

“Drag racing has been an important part of my life for over three-quarters of my life,” Pruett said. “27 years of racing in the NHRA has molded who I am, and I am extremely grateful for the life it has given me. Through a long series of thought processes and a decision that did not happen overnight, I feel that stepping out of the seat right now is what’s best for myself and Tony to start a family.”

Stewart, a versatile racer with championships across NASCAR, INDYCAR, and USAC, is honored to fill Pruett’s position and looks forward to embarking on this new journey with his wife. He emphasizes his commitment to learning and acknowledges the challenges of joining the competitive Top Fuel class.

Together, Stewart and Pruett will be part of a two-car TSR operation alongside Funny Car driver Matt Hagan. The team secured their first championship with Hagan clinching the 2023 Funny Car Championship.

“This has been one of the most difficult decisions to make because of what we have collectively created at TSR; a highly-successful program and enjoyable operation,” Pruett said. “I had the best finish of my entire career. To step away from that can be a challenging move, but I had already made up my mind long before we were deep in the championship hunt. I’m excited about how competitive this team is, developed through the leadership of Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala, and to be able to have Tony compete in a very safe, vetted, and well-performing car with an established team makes my heart happy. Our final-round appearance at the World Finals brought me the closest I’ve ever been to fulfilling a lifelong dream of winning a Top Fuel world championship. We were so close that we could taste it, but it wasn’t our time. Ultimately, it will be up to the Lord if we are blessed with what so many share as their greatest joy in life, a family of their own. While Tony and I prefer to keep our personal lives private, we’re honored to share in this announcement with our partners, team members, and fans. There are no guarantees or promises on when I will be back in the seat, but I have every intention of returning as soon as I can. Everything in my heart says that I will return to driving Top Fuel as soon as I feel ready, especially after being so close to winning it all this year. For now, I am thrilled that Tony is getting a well-performing, safe car with an excellent caliber of people, both personally and professionally.”

The season ahead holds promising prospects for both Pruett and Stewart. Pruett believes Stewart’s adaptability and talent make him an ideal Top Fuel dragster seat candidate. She intends to guide him through any new situations he may encounter while prioritizing safety.

The NHRA season will kick off on February 8-10, 2024, with the PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, where Pruett plans to compete. Stewart will begin his season at the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Fans can livestream the event on FloRacing.