Tony Stewart was named the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year during the NHRA awards ceremony at the Pechanga Resort Casino. The Top Fuel driver faced a competitive field that included Brandon Foster, Richard Gadson, Derrick Reese, Jasmine Salinas, Sienna Wildgust, Daniel Wilkerson, and Ida Zetterstrom.
“It’s a big honor to win this award this season,” Stewart said. “There are some great drivers in the NHRA, and it’s one of the most diverse forms of motorsports I’ve been a part of.”
Stewart made his Top Fuel debut this year, advancing to two final rounds and four semifinals. He finished ninth in Top Fuel points and competed under the shadow of significant personal milestones, taking over driving duties from his wife, Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett, as they prepared to start a family.
Pruett welcomed their first child, Dominic James Stewart, early Sunday morning, after which Stewart traveled back to Pomona for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. He closed the season with a berth in the semifinals and a career-best run of 3.688 seconds at 334.73 mph.
A NASCAR and IndyCar champion, Stewart formed the Tony Stewart Racing NHRA team in 2022 and previously raced Top Alcohol Dragster in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
“It was an honor to be part of this group this year,” Stewart said. “The two main coaches I had were Matt Hagan and my wife, Leah. Thank you, Leah, for giving me this opportunity, and I want to thank everyone at NHRA.”
In the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, Richard Gadson secured third in points, with three final round appearances and four semifinals. He also won a Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race.
Jasmine Salinas and Ida Zetterstrom demonstrated their potential in Top Fuel this season. Salinas had three round wins, posting her fastest time at the finale, while Zetterstrom, the 2023 European Top Fuel world champion, also notched three round wins during her NHRA debut.
Daniel Wilkerson, who replaced his father Tim Wilkerson in Funny Car, advanced to the final round at the Charlotte 4-Wide race, finishing seventh in points with three semifinal appearances. Other Pro Stock competitors included Brandon Foster, Derrick Reese, and Sienna Wildgust.
Last year, Chase Van Sant was honored as Rookie of the Year, with prior winners including Camrie Caruso (2022) and Justin Ashley (2020). The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor, chosen based on events competed, performance, NHRA promotion participation, and relationships with fans and media.
It was a fitting conclusion for Stewart, who flew to Phoenix Saturday night to support his wife, Leah Pruett, as the couple welcomed their first child early Sunday morning, then returned to the track at 8 a.m. From there he reached the semi-final round.
“I think I’ve ran on adrenaline all day with about two hours of sleep,” said Stewart. “I haven’t done near the amount of work my wife has done all year, especially the last ten months. I’m so proud of her and love her to death. She is a stronger woman than I will ever be as a man. I’m proud to be her partner in life, and I’m very proud to bring this little boy into the world. The short three hours I got to spend with him overnight was amazing and you couldn’t put a price tag on it. He did so much to make me laugh and pull on my heartstrings. I didn’t win a race or a championship today, but I feel like I put [Sunday] in the category of wins and championships because we had a good day at the track.”
