Leah Pruett to Pause Full-Time NHRA Career

Overview

• Pruett announced Friday that she will step away from full-time Top Fuel competition after the 2026 season to focus on having a second child with husband Tony Stewart.
• The move was timed as the NHRA begins its six-race playoffs and Pruett currently sits third in the standings, 43 points behind leader Doug Kalitta and 17 behind second-place Shawn Langdon.
• Tony Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver with 88 wins and eight championships, agreed to take Pruett’s Tony Stewart Racing seat for 2027 after several months of sponsorship and contract negotiations.
• Pruett said she is not calling the decision a retirement and plans to stay involved with the team by attending events, helping manage the program, and raising their son Dominic in the public eye.
• The change preserves team continuity by replacing Pruett with a proven champion and leaves open the possibility that she could return to driving in the future.