BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Eight-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher will replace Leah Pruett behind the wheel of the Tony Stewart Racing dragster beginning next season.
Schumacher has signed a multi-year agreement to drive for the organization beginning with the 2027 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.Schumacher will assume the driving duties of the TSR Top Fuel Dragster following the departure of Leah Pruett, who is stepping away from full-time competition to focus on growing her family with husband and team owner Tony Stewart.
“I made the decision to step out of the seat to put some more focus on our family. Hopefully that means growing our family, but it also gives me the opportunity to be more present with Dom during such an important stage of his life. I feel incredibly fortunate that I’m in a position where I can make that choice, and I’m genuinely excited about what this next chapter looks like for us,” said Pruett. “At the same time, this season has been one of the most fulfilling of my career. I’ve had so much enjoyment racing with my team, and personally, the pursuit of continuing to push myself to try to match the level at which this team performs has been incredibly challenging and rewarding. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together, and I’m proud of where this program is headed.
“That makes me even more excited about who we’re putting in the seat. Tony Schumacher is one of the most decorated racers our sport has ever seen,” Pruett continued. “There’s been so much momentum building within this team, and I have every confidence that Tony can take what we’ve built and continue pushing it forward. When you look at the team, the partners and now the driver, the puzzle pieces have really come together to create something that I believe will compete for championships for a long time.”
Currently third in the NHRA Top Fuel Championship point standings, Pruett has 13 national event wins to her name including the 2026 NHRA New England Nationals, her first win since becoming a mother.
Pruett first stepped away from driving duties following the 2023 season when she battled to a winner-take-all final round against Doug Kalitta at the NHRA Finals. She came up 57 points short of winning the Top Fuel world title.
“I also have to acknowledge our partners and the fans who have supported me through every version of this journey,” Pruett said. “They supported me when I stepped away three years ago to start our family, they welcomed me back with an incredible amount of love when I returned to racing, and they continue to support me as our family evolves again. There really isn’t a roadmap for navigating motherhood and a career at this level of motorsports, so having that kind of support has meant more to me than I can put into words.
“And just to be clear, this is not retirement, and I’m not going anywhere. I plan to be every bit as involved with this team as I was the last time I stepped out of the seat,” Pruett clarified. “And, just like before, the hope is that there’s another opportunity for me to get back in the car. I’m not making any promises or putting a timeline on it, but I feel really comfortable and confident knowing we’ve built a solid foundation and a formidable team that can continue chasing championships for years to come.”
The winningest driver in Top Fuel history, Schumacher brings more than three decades of championship-caliber experience and an unmatched record of success to TSR’s Nitro program. He will compete alongside four-time Funny Car world champion and 2026 regular season champion Matt Hagan, while Stewart will continue competing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with Elite Motorsports.
“I am truly proud of Leah. I think anyone who knows her can understand what I mean. As a mother, as a wife, as a race car driver: she really is an incredible human being,” Stewart said. “For her to be able to make the decision to step out of the seat, not just once, but twice, especially after the comeback year the team is having, that takes a level of strength and determination few people have.
“Seeing her with Dom, juggling the pressures of racing while being so present for him and for me, I’m really not sure how she does it all. Like I said three years ago, the decision, the timing, is up to her and I completely support any decision she makes.
“We have some of the best partners who have been supportive of Leah’s journey and our family, and we could not do this without them. That’s why I think we’re lucky to be able to say Tony Schumacher is coming on board to fill the seat. His experience, talent and understanding of what it takes to compete at this level make him the perfect fit for this opportunity. We have a lot of confidence in him, and we are excited about what the future holds for the team.
“I will continue to drive for Elite Motorsports. I’m enjoying myself and the rapport I’ve built with Mike Green, Joe Barlam, Richard Freeman and the group they’ve put together. Racing against my own team keeps things interesting.”
As part of the agreement, Schumacher’s longtime partners—American Communications Construction, Aloha Beauty Lounge, 5.11 and Hollinger—will join Tony Stewart Racing’s established partner portfolio, including Dodge and Mopar, who will both have a continued presence on the TSR Top Fuel Dragster in a primary and an associate capacity.
“I couldn’t have seen this coming or planned something this good—it truly fell into place as perfectly as possible. Over the last several years, it’s been a building process. To get to this moment where I get to represent ACC, Aloha Beauty, and all my partners alongside people who operate at a high level and truly love the sport—I couldn’t be more pleased to be joining TSR,” Schumacher said. “I feel privileged that Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett, such a power couple who are in this purely for the love of the sport, trust me with the seat of the Top Fuel dragster. I’ve known them for a while, Leah at DSR, Tony when he had Ryan Newman’s Army car, and I’ve worked with (crew chief) Neal Strausbaugh and (car chief) Ryan McGilvry before, we’ve battled through championships together.
“Then to be brought into the Dodge family—who were an affiliate for the Army car at DSR—and now be a teammate to some of the best drivers and team owners is pretty incredible. My wife, Summer, our sponsors, and I are excited for the future and look forward to chasing championships.”
