In 2024, Leah Pruett made the biggest decision of her racing career—she stepped away from NHRA Top Fuel to focus on motherhood. It was a bold and personal move, and it left a vacant seat in one of the sport’s most competitive teams. That seat didn’t stay empty long. Her husband, Tony Stewart, a racing icon in NASCAR and IndyCar, stepped in. Stewart had never been one to shy away from a challenge. But this wasn’t just another ride. This was stepping into the shoes of a two-time NHRA champion and competing in a field that wasn’t his.

Fans were intrigued. Stewart was no rookie to winning. He had won in nearly every form of motorsports—NASCAR, IndyCar, USAC. He had more than 100 career victories. There was expectation, and there was pressure. Stewart had never gone a full season in any series without a win. But 2024 tested that streak. Despite his work, effort, and solid performances, the victories didn’t come. Smoke did make it to the finals at Sonoma Nationals but was outpaced by 4-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, Antron Brown in the final round.

Stewart ended the year ninth, along with the rookie of the year honors, but that looked bleak given his resume and accomplishments. Some even started to question whether Stewart was cut out to compete in the premier drag racing series. Although we have seen the veteran driver speak his heart during his NASAR years, he kept his head down and got right back to work in the hopes of shutting down the outside.

Then came 2025 Las Vegas. At the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, Stewart broke through. He blasted down The Strip at 317.42 mph in 3.870 seconds to claim his first Top Fuel victory. It wasn’t a lucky win—it was earned. He outran greats like Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, and Jasmine Salinas in a loaded final round. The win snapped a nine-year drought across all racing series and ended any debate about his place in NHRA. Stewart had finally silenced the critics.

Tony Stewart had heard the whispers for over a year. He knew fans were comparing his struggles to Leah Pruett’s success. But on Sunday in Vegas, he let his car, and his words, do the talking. After the win, he didn’t mince words. Stewart admitted 2024 was frustrating. He struggled with a car that didn’t respond the way he was used to. Unlike NASCAR, where the driver makes most of the difference, Top Fuel is all about the crew, the setup, and a hundred technical details that a wheelman can’t control.

“I read all the stuff online. People saying, ‘Put Leah back in the car—she almost won a championship. He sucks.’ Well, guess what? I didn’t suck. We just struggled. There’s a difference… Back in NASCAR, I was 70% of the equation. In NHRA, I’m 30%,” he said in a media session. That perspective didn’t stop the comparisons, especially to Leah Pruett, as she has built a legacy.

Before stepping away, she nearly won a world championship in Top Fuel in 2022. Additionally, she’s a two-time NHRA world champion with 12 career wins in the Top Fuel division. She started racing Junior Dragsters at 8 years old and has never looked back. Her talent is undeniable, and Stewart never once pretended otherwise. “She set the bar high,” he said. But Sunday in Las Vegas, Tony finally cleared that bar.

And Las Vegas was personal. Two years ago, Tony Stewart won in Top Alcohol Dragster at this same track. Now, in his 24th Top Fuel start, he delivered again—this time on the biggest stage, against the fastest drivers. “This is unreal. Everything in my career, I figured it out in the first year. But this was different. I told someone, ‘You sure as hell appreciate it more when you struggle like we did,’” he said after the win.

And it showed. He cut two-hole shots in early rounds and relied on his crew to carry him in the final. He credited crew chiefs Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala for the setup that got them across the line first. “We needed this. It’s been a year and a half of stress. But damn, this one feels good… To go from struggling last year to standing here now… it’s unbelievable,” he said. While Stewart was happy for his win, it came with a lot of emotional tolls.

Emotional Tony Stewart dedicates his win to lost close ones!

Tony Stewart’s win in Las Vegas was filled with emotion—and not just from the racing. As he stood in victory, Stewart’s thoughts went straight to the people who weren’t there to see it. Just minutes before the final round, he received devastating news from a friend in Bakersfield, who had lost his father. That came on top of mourning Jenny Rush, wife of Rush Truck Centres partner Rusty Rush, who had passed earlier in the week.

“It’s the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We lost Jenny, and 15 minutes before I got in the car, I found out another close friend’s father had passed. It’s been a tough week,” Stewart said quietly. For Stewart, this win wasn’t just about silencing critics. It was about honoring those he’d lost. He dedicated the win to them, carrying their memories across the finish line. Then came the moment that broke him. As he celebrated, he saw Leah Pruett walking up the stage steps, holding their five-month-old son, Dominic.

“My heart stopped. As much as I love winning for our team and our family, seeing her bring him up there—that’s a feeling I’ve never had in my life,” he said. It wasn’t just a racing victory. It was a life moment. Stewart, a driver who built a career on raw speed and aggression, showed something else in Las Vegas—depth, emotion, and growth. He’s still the racer fans remember. But now, he’s a father, a husband, a team owner, and an NHRA winner.