Leah Pruett Bio
Leah Christine Pruett is an American drag racer known for her accomplishments in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel category. Born on May 26, 1988, in Redlands, California, she built a reputation as one of the most consistent female competitors in professional drag racing before stepping aside in 2024. Pruett last drove a Top Fuel dragster for Tony Stewart Racing, the team co-owned by her husband, former NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.
Across her career, Pruett competed in Pro Mod, Nostalgia Funny Car, and Top Fuel, collecting national event wins and finishing inside the top ten in NHRA standings multiple seasons in a row. She made history in 2016 by winning the first all-female Top Fuel final round since 1982, establishing her place among the sport’s notable modern drivers.
Early Life and Background
Leah Christine Pruett was born on May 26, 1988, in Redlands, California, and grew up in the United States with a strong interest in cars and speed. From a young age, she was drawn to motorsports, and her early exposure to drag racing helped shape the path she would later follow at the national level.
Before turning professional, Pruett gained experience in grassroots drag racing categories, which allowed her to refine her reaction times and car control on quarter-mile tracks. Her family supported her interest in racing, and that backing gave her the opportunity to move up into faster, more competitive classes as her skills developed.
Path to Drag Racing
Pruett began her climb through the drag racing ladder by competing in Pro Mod and Nostalgia Funny Car, two categories that helped her learn how to handle high-horsepower machines. These early seasons gave her the seat time and confidence needed to attempt the jump into NHRA’s professional ranks.
In 2013, Pruett debuted in the NHRA Top Fuel category with Dote Racing, marking her arrival as a full-time professional driver. Her transition to Top Fuel came after years of building a résumé in support classes, and the move positioned her to chase wins against the most established names in the sport.
Leah Pruett Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
Pruett’s first seasons in Top Fuel were spent learning the rhythms of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and adjusting to a new team environment. Driving for Dote Racing, she worked to establish herself as a regular contender and to collect the round-by-round experience required to compete for event wins.
During this development period, Pruett also continued to draw on her earlier work in Pro Mod and Nostalgia Funny Car, where she had built strong fundamentals. Those seasons laid the groundwork for the breakthrough that would arrive in 2016.
Top Fuel Breakthrough (2016–2021)
Pruett’s first career national event win came on February 28, 2016, at the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Chandler, Arizona. In the final round, she defeated Brittany Force, a result that marked the first all-female Top Fuel final since 1982 and immediately elevated her profile within the sport.
She finished seventh in NHRA Top Fuel points in 2016 with one win, then climbed to fifth in 2017 with four wins. In 2018 and 2019, she posted two wins and one win respectively, while also finishing fourth in points in 2018 and 2019. The 2020 season produced no wins, but she rebounded in 2021 with another victory, capping one of the most consistent stretches of her career.
Tony Stewart Racing Era (2022–2024)
On October 14, 2021, Pruett was announced as the Top Fuel driver for Tony Stewart Racing beginning with the 2022 NHRA season, moving her into a team co-owned by her husband, Tony Stewart. The transition paired her with new crew chiefs and gave her fresh equipment to chase a championship.
At Tony Stewart Racing, Pruett continued to compete in NHRA Top Fuel, adding to her win totals and pushing for deep playoff runs. In 2024, she stepped aside from driving as she and Tony Stewart prepared to start a family, and she was replaced in the seat by Stewart himself. Her tenure with the team is remembered as a major chapter in her professional career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pruett is known for her sharp reaction times at the starting line, a skill that has decided countless close Top Fuel rounds in her favor. Her background in Pro Mod and Nostalgia Funny Car gave her a feel for tuning adjustments and tire shake, which translated well to the demands of a 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster. Working alongside crew chiefs Neal Strausbaugh and Micheal Domagala at Tony Stewart Racing, she relied on clear communication and consistency to deliver strong qualifying and elimination efforts.
Notable Races and Milestones
Her signature moment came at the 2016 Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, where her win over Brittany Force produced the first all-female Top Fuel final in more than three decades. She also posted four wins during the 2017 NHRA season, a campaign that pushed her into the top five in points and established her as a regular threat for race wins.
Leah Pruett Career Wins
Across her time in Pro Mod, Nostalgia Funny Car, and NHRA Top Fuel, Leah Pruett built a résumé that includes 18 wins across different categories. Her victories span multiple teams and seasons, with her Top Fuel success leading the way.
Top Fuel Highlights
In NHRA Top Fuel, Pruett collected national event wins beginning with the 2016 Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals. She added four wins in 2017, two wins in 2018, one win in 2019, and another win in 2021, showcasing her ability to compete at a high level for several consecutive seasons.
Other Wins and Performances
Before moving to Top Fuel, Pruett earned results in Pro Mod and Nostalgia Funny Car that helped establish her as a well-rounded drag racer. Those early performances gave her the experience needed to step into a professional Top Fuel ride in 2013.
Leah Pruett Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Pruett is not related to former stock car, open-wheel, and sports car racing driver Scott Pruett, despite sharing a similar family name. Her own connection to racing came through her own development in drag racing categories rather than a well-known family lineage in the sport.
Personal Life
Pruett was first married to Todd LeDuc, an off-road racer and Monster Jam truck driver. She later married Gary Pritchett in 2013 and filed for divorce on July 31, 2019, in Hendricks County, Indiana. She and former NASCAR driver Tony Stewart announced their engagement through simultaneous Instagram posts on March 18, 2021, and married on November 21, 2021, in Los Cabos, Mexico. Pruett and Stewart welcomed a son named Dominic James Stewart on November 16, 2024.
2025 Season Performance
Leah Pruett is not competing in the 2025 NHRA season as she continues her time away from driving to focus on her family. Her seat at Tony Stewart Racing has been filled by her husband, Tony Stewart, who returned to competitive driving in the Top Fuel ranks.
During her absence, her teams and crew chiefs have continued to develop the program, and her earlier results remain part of the team’s recent history. With Pruett not racing, the focus for 2025 remains on the team’s overall direction and her long-term outlook for a possible return.
