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via Getty

via Getty

For Tony Stewart, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season has been nothing short of a disaster. On the racetrack, Stewart-Haas Racing was able to get only one driver into the playoffs and that too is the man who will retire after this season, Kevin Harvick. With Harvick’s departure, Stewart will lose the $110 billion sponsor Anheuser-Busch, to Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain. However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for the 52-year-old.

While things have not gone well for Stewart’s NASCAR team, his NHRA team has been doing quite well and a lot of it is thanks to his racer wife, Leah Pruett. Of late, she has been doing quite well for herself with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR). Pruett recently took part in the NHRA US Nationals in the 69th edition of the Big Go at Indianapolis.

Leah Pruett Impresses for Tony Stewart’s Team

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The weather conditions at Indianapolis on Monday weren’t pleasant and drivers had to contend with high temperatures and humidity. However, it was no problem for Leah Pruett who braved the conditions and recorded a close first-round victory against Austin Prock.

Pruett was just three-hundredth of a second ahead of Prock with a time of 3.747 to her opponent’s 3.777. It was an impressive performance by the Summit Nationals Top Fuel winner, as she hoped to clinch another title this year. However, things did not go as planned in the second round.

Pruett was up against the NHRA Top Fuel point leader Justin Ashley. The 35-year-old had defeated Ashley in their last couple of races at Norwalk, Ohio, and at Brainerd, Minnesota. This time, however, her dragster lost traction early in the contest and she was unable to keep up with Ashley’s speed.

After the race, she said that they did not leave any stone unturned in an attempt to win the race, but things just did not work out. However, the first-round victory puts her in fourth place in the points.

“We definitely did not leave any efforts on the table to win the world’s longest and most prestigious drag race event, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals,” Pruett said as per dragillustrated.com.

“Monday morning began with faith that any issues were solved, and tune-up was on point with one of the most meaningful rounds of the year…we’re not letting our (second-round) loss stop our momentum. Racing Indy is the hardest feat of our crew. We’re taking it as conditioning for the most important chapter of the season.” the Tony Stewart Racing driver added.

Leah Pruett’s performances have been a source of pride for Tony Stewart, as his NASCAR season has been anything but memorable. However, things can change at the next Cup Series race as it is one of his driver’s strongest tracks.

Read More: Kevin Harvick & Team Refuses to Give Up as NASCAR World Make Their Intentions Clear After Darlington Heartbreak

Stewart Has a Trump Card for Kansas Race

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Aric Almirola might not have made it through to the playoffs in 2023, but going into the upcoming Cup Series race at Kansas, Tony Stewart will be hoping that the veteran can give him some joy.

With seven top-10 finishes at Kansas, Almirola will be confident at the track. Tony Stewart will be hoping that the veteran can give the team its first win in the 2023 season. It could have happened with Kevin Harvick at Darlington, but pit road drama ruined the #4 driver’s race.

Now, a lot of hope will rest on Almirola’s shoulders to go onto the track at Kansas and score some good points for the team, and if all goes well, even bag a victory. If he is not in a winning position, the veteran will be expected to push Kevin Harvick, who is in the playoffs, further up the pack to improve his chances of winning and making it into the next round.

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Harvick’s drama at Darlington was painful to watch for SHR as they had perhaps the best chance of winning a race this year. Going into Kansas, they will hope to bounce back and deliver an impressive performance for their fans. How do you think SHR will perform at Kansas?

WATCH THIS STORY: Kevin Harvick loses his only hope to win a race, NASCAR faces criticism from Tony Stewart’s team members