Tony Stewart is shifting gears literally and figuratively as he moves from his storied career in NASCAR into a world of burnouts, nitro-fueled power, and lightning-fast sprints down the strip, the NHRA. But there’s more to this move than just a need for speed. With his own NHRA team and a renewed thrill for the sport, Stewart’s forging a new chapter in his legacy — one that’s closer to home and family.

It was a bittersweet moment when Pruett had to temporarily call off her NHRA duties to focus on starting a family. Bittersweet especially because as someone who wrapped up their 14th year of competing in Top Fuel and has been drag racing since she was 8 years old, 2023 turned out to be the best career season for the 36-year-old pilot. Fast forward to June this year, Pruett dropped a gender reveal post with a cute onesie with “Baby Stewart” lettering up front.

It’s a baby boy! Stewart couldn’t hold his excitement when he tweeted, “I’m so excited to start a family with this incredibly beautiful love of my life @LeahPruett_TF. Can’t wait to meet this little guy. This is the ultimate (trophy emoji).” But…

Pruett’s post came with an arrival time. November, which clearly coincides with the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals scheduled to start on Sunday which will keep Stewart busy behind the #14 wheels for the next three days. Just hours ago, Pruett dropped another post. The longing to be on the tracks was clearly evident, but it was more-or-less a prayer… wishing for Tony Stewart to get back in time for their first baby’s arrival.

“The 2024 season comes to a close this wknd at the @innout Burger @NHRA Finals! Throwing it back to last year when @doug_kalitta22 and I battled for the Championship right down to the final run.

“This year’s Finals is wildly different for me; as it will be the first race I’ve physically missed being at in almost a decade. I know our teams are going to go hard to finish strong this season, and I’ll be rooting them on somewhere close to home.

“Hoping this baby comes any day now, and not Sunday of the finals so @tsrsmoke can make it lol.”

Dutifully, Tony Stewart Racing Nitro arrived at the comment section in time to state, “We’ll miss you, LP! Can’t wait to meet our new teammate.”

Although pregnancy has kept Pruett away from racing, she was busy working with the governing body to establish new policies for pregnant drivers, and in extension, drivers working on starting a family, leading to the unveiling of the landmark policy on September 17. But the question remains: When can we expect to see Leah Pruett climb back on behind the wheels again?

2025? Nah. So, 2026?

Leah Pruett is going to take her sweet time. She was a straight shooter when she said this for a 2025 return: “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,” Pruett told Autoweek. When asked whether she would at least consider to return in 2025, she said,

“In my dreams,” she said. “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.

As for 2026, she has one factor to consider.

Thoughts immediately drifted toward Stewart for the 12-time NHRA Top Fuel winner. After all, If he manages to win an NHRA Top Fuel championship, Stewart would become the only driver in motorsports history to win championships in IndyCar (1997) and NASCAR, the latter occurring three times (2002, 2005 and 2011), and now, potentially, in NHRA. “Just because I might be ready in 2026 to get back in, well, that means Tony has to come out,” she said. “Tony loves NHRA drag racing, and I don’t want to get him out.

“What do I have to start doing? Maybe I need to start thinking about building another team, finding partners. There’s a whole business logistics to it on my end, which feeds back into the conversation about females.” Pruett might not be on the tracks for a foreseeable time but she’s going to be around one way or another. At least, that much is clear.