Following his first full-time season of NHRA Top Fuel racing, NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart will return to the nitro-burning category next season.
Stewart, who earned NHRA Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, confirmed his commitment to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series during Tuesday’s Race Industry Week session, which aired live on SPEED SPORT’s YouTube channel.
Prior to eliminations for last month’s NHRA finale at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in California, Stewart’s wife and Top Fuel driver, Leah Pruett, gave birth to their first child.
“I’m going to be back in the Top Fuel car again next year,” Stewart said. “Leah has decided she wants to be a mom this first year. I’ll be honest, she is literally just over two weeks from having Dominic and I am pretty confident in about two to three weeks, she’ll be ready to get back in a Top Fuel car.
“She absolutely looks amazing. Looking at her, you wouldn’t even tell she just delivered a little boy to us. So, it’s just amazing how strong and tough my wife is and what she does. But, she does wanna be a mom next year.”
Stewart took over driving duties for Pruett this year after they announced she’d be stepping away from driving to focus on having a family.
“I’m kinda fighting it a little bit, but, I guess the bonus to it is I get to drive a Top Fuel car again next year,” Stewart said. “I get to win either way.”
In his first season, the Tony Stewart Racing driver finished ninth in the Top Fuel standings. He earned two final round and four semifinal appearances throughout the season.