Tony Stewart won’t have to worry about having to sleep on the sofa…at least for a while…if he beats his wife Leah on the dragstrip.
Wife Leah Pruett has announced that she is stepping away from the NHRA and drag racing once this season is over in order to concentrate on giving Dominic a little brother or sister.
Pruett returned to racing in 2026 after a two year absence while she concentrated on having a baby and ultimately gave birth to Dominic who will turn two in November.
Currently Pruett and Stewart rank third and fourth respectively in the playoffs which being at Great Lakes Nationals in Michigan.
Speaking on her decision with the Associated Press, Leah Pruett said, “some might think: ‘You got out, then did all this work to return, and you guys are doing so great, how could you ever get out again?’ Well, how could I not?”
She added, “I’m living my dream right now at the very pinnacle, in the heat (of battle), and it’s about to get hotter. And I’m enjoying that, but there’s another portion of life goals that I’m going to be able to do here soon and grow a family.”
Pruett has intentionally avoided the R-word – retirement – because she knows that racing is as much a part of her life as being a wife and mother. She noted, “I don’t have a magic crystal ball that says when I will be back, but I am most definitely leaving the door open for the possibility and opportunity of returning,” she said. “I just don’t have a timeline on it.”
The only difference, is this time around hubby Tony Stewrt will not be the replacement driver; that job is going to Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher – an eight time Top Fuel champion with 88 wins.