NASCAR Legend Tony Stewart Is Going Drag Racing

Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart may have retired from driving NASCAR stock cars in 2016, but his racing career is far from over. With his wife Leah Pruett set to step away from her job as an NHRA Top Fuel drag racer in order to focus on starting a family, Stewart announced plans on Thursday to contest the full 2024 Top Fuel season in the car she plans to vacate.

Stewart has spent the past season racing in the NHRA's top alcohol class, winning four rounds on his way to second in the season-long championship. Pruett finished third with two wins in last year's NHRA Top Fuel championship in her first year driving for Stewart, her husband since 2021. That is a high bar for Stewart to strive for in his first year in top-level dragsters, but his strong season in just one year in similar cars should prepare him well for the challenge.

In addition to his drag racing duties as an owner and now a driver, Stewart is also the co-owner of NASCAR's championship-winning Stewart-Haas Racing team and the SRX late model racing series. He also claims the 1997 IndyCar championship, the 1995 USAC Triple Crown of dirt racing, and an overall podium at the 2005 24 Hours of Daytona, among other feats. By adding a rookie season in the NHRA's top class to his resume at 52, Stewart will have raced just about everything available to race in American motorsport.

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