Leah Pruett shares message of pride after Tony Stewart’s first Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier at Bristol

Tony Stewart's historic run at Bristol Dragway became more meaningful with the presence of his wife and longtime teammate Leah Pruett. After clinching his first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel and winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Stewart's milestone was celebrated by Pruett on Instagram with a heartfelt message.

Pruett, who stepped away from driving in 2024 to start a family with Stewart, was hands-on with the Tony Stewart Racing Dodge team at Bristol. With car chief Ryan McGilvry sidelined for his son's graduation, she stepped up in the pits, ensuring the Top Fuel dragster stayed consistent in both of his standout runs.

She posted a carousel of images from the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals weekend and wrote:

"So far Bristol has been good to us.👌🏽 Got our first #1 qualifier of the year, and won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge! Our Car Chief Ryan was out all day Saturday and I did my best to fill his shoes. Even though I'm not back in the seat yet, I am for sure enjoying racing with our team and proud of our progress."

Saturday (June 7) marked another significant moment in what has been a landmark year for Tony Stewart. After becoming a father in 2024, the NASCAR Hall of Famer began his second first full-time season in Top Fuel with TSR Dodge.

Despite a steep learning curve, he reached the final rounds at the Pomona Winternationals and New England Nationals. Stewart grabbed his first Top Fuel win at the Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, followed by another triumph in Chicago, where he also set a personal-best ET of 3.679 seconds. The momentum carried into Bristol, where he added two more accolades.

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Tony Stewart wins NHRA Mission Challenge and tops Bristol qualifying

NHRA top fuel driver Tony Stewart during the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. Source: Imagn

The Mission #2Fast2Tasty is an NHRA Challenge within a race where semifinalists from the previous NHRA event face off during Saturday qualifying. Beyond offering bonus money and playoff points, it's become a competitive proving ground, and Doug Kalitta's Top Fuel team dominated it, winning the first six times in 2025.

That streak ended in Bristol when Tony Stewart ran a blazing 3.803 at 324.05 mph in the final round to beat Kalitta, giving Stewart his first win in the challenge. J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also Mission Challenge winners at Bristol. Shortly after that victory, Stewart doubled up by securing his first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel.

"This is great, obviously. We've been in the final of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and haven't been able to finish it. Now, to win one and get our first low qualifier is big. For our team, it's a huge accomplishment," Stewart said. (via NHRA)

His best run came in the first qualifying session of the day in 3.755 seconds at 325.77 mph, a mark that held up through the rest of qualifying. That kind of consistent pace has been a highlight of Stewart's 2025 campaign so far.

The weekend win eventually went to Steve Torrence, who edged Stewart by just .002 seconds in a thrilling semifinal before going on to defeat Justin Ashley in the final. Despite falling just short, Stewart left Thunder Valley with new milestones, his wife's admiration and firm proof that he is a true contender in Top Fuel.