Last week, Tony Stewart and his wife Leah Pruitt announced that Leah would be returning to her Top Fuel dragster next year after taking a couple of year off to have a baby. Youn Dominic was born last November and Leah is ready to get back in the car.
At the time the question was what will Smoke do???
Well the mystery is solved…
The three time NASCAR Hall of Fame driver will be competing in NHRA Top Fuel next season for Elite Motorsports…and against his wife!
Elite Motorsports owner Richard Freeman said, “first things first, though, we need to get the program funded, but letting everyone know our intentions, that will help. Tony is a great driver; we all know he can drive anything.”
He added, “he’s great for drag racing, not just as a team owner but behind the wheel. We’re excited that through our marketing alliance with Tony Stewart Racing, we’re creating an opportunity for Tony to keep a Top Fuel seat and a chance to race alongside his wife, Leah.”
Freeman bought the team from Josh Hart and has hired one of the most successful drivers to drive it. With the purchase of the team from Hart, Freeman can expand his current team into Top Fuel dragsters.
Smoke noted, “I said from the very beginning that I was just keeping Leah’s seat warm and that it was hers as soon as she was ready to come back. And as much as I wanted to continue driving, TSR is not in a position to add a second Top Fuel car. But with Richard buying Josh Hart’s team and our recent alliance, I can still work as an owner and a driver to help both our organizations grow.”
Along with his three NASCAR Cup Series championships, Stewart has an IndyCar championship, and a Rookie of the Year award in NHRA and is in the running for the Top Fuel championship; he is currently second in the point standings.
Over the years there has been a number of brothers competing against each other and even some fathers and sons – the Allisons, Earnhardts, and Pettys are the most notable.
Occasionally the husband and wife duo Stewart and Jessica Friesen go head to head in a race, but this will mark the first time a husband and wife will be competing against each other for an entire season.