In a sport dominated mostly by men, women’s essential needs usually go disregarded. It takes a long time for a racer to carve their way through a jam-packed race field. But for female racers, the same road can be thornier—family planning and pregnancy aspirations can complicate their racing careers. However, NHRA is setting an example in the motorsport world, with Leah Pruett leading strongly.

Pruett and her husband Tony Stewart, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, embarked on a new journey last year. The fruition of that journey will come in November when the happy couple welcomes a child. In the meantime, Pruett is waging a battle for female racers in her stead.

Leah Pruett’s fight echoes broader issues

Racing is a tense, breakneck sport where drivers face the risk of dangerous wrecks. Despite this, women racers have thronged the community for decades. NASCAR had legends like Sara Christian and Ethel Flock Mobley placing top-five and top-ten finishes in the series’ debut year, 1949. NHRA is populated with prominent racers like Brittany Force, who posted a record speed in the Top Fuel category in 2022—338.94 mph. Yet, despite their presence, these women have mostly been disregarded when it came to accommodating their primary health needs. But Leah Pruett sought to change that.

Due to her efforts, the NHRA’s Driver Replacement Policy recently broke new ground in this regard, directly addressing pregnancy for women drivers. Now they can stop worrying about career goals if they need to leave mid-season for an emergency. Leah Pruett emphasized that the policy recognizes women racers’ competitive status. “It not only identifies that motorsports are becoming more diverse, but it acknowledges that women are not just competing, but we’re winning national events and winning world championships, that we’re building our careers on it, but no one ever acknowledged the one thing that really stops that career, and this speaks to that.”

Leah Pruett also stressed that women racers should feel comfortable balancing their races and pregnancy goals. “I feel like this addresses what I consider the “invisible race,” women in motorsports who are racing to become successful and prominent, to establish their careers, their driving ability, their brands, and we have to do that in the hopes that it’s strong enough that if we do want to take a breath, to take a year or two off and start a family, we hope it’s strong enough that we can return to it.”

Amidst striving for these ever-present social needs for female motorsport stars, Leah Pruett is weathering her own pregnancy challenge. She may not be ready to take the wheel soon because of that.

Pruett will delay her return

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After all, starting a family entails a long process of welcoming a little one, recovering from health issues, and preparing for the new family. Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart announced that they were expecting their bundle of joy in June this year. The 36-year-old NHRA racer should give birth by November, well before the 2025 season starts. However, Pruett, holding 12 Top Fuel victories to her name, is not ready to hit the race tracks so soon. Besides acclimatizing to normal life after a long pregnancy, Pruett is not ready to wrench Stewart from his seat so soon.

Talking to Autoweek, Pruett emphasized Stewart as her strong replacement in NHRA. “For the public, for the fans, for the partners, they can expect to see Tony Stewart start the 2025 season just as he did the 2024 season.” She added, “Were all the stars to align, but it would be very difficult because I don’t feel comfortable taking Tony out of the seat with a team that’s been competing with him. It’s really hard to say. I think my answer to that is 2025 is an unknown, but I definitely will not be starting the season. And I do not expect to be in the seat in 2025…But my gut, myself, I know that I’m going to want to do the best job I can being a mom before I can get back in that seat.”

Leah Pruett has her hands full with motherhood and her battle for fellow female racers in the NHRA. We wish her all the best in her family and racing goals!