Tony Stewart confirms 2026 NHRA return with uneasy family clash against wife Leah Pruett

Tony Stewart will remain on the NHRA Top Fuel grid in 2026, but not in his familiar TSR Dodge. Instead, he will drive for Elite Motorsports as part of the new alliance between the two organizations. It sets up an unprecedented clash between Stewart and his wife, Leah Pruett, who returns from her maternity leave.

The announcement came via Elite Motorsports owner Richard Freeman, who purchased Josh Hart’s Top Fuel operation. Stewart had long insisted that his stint behind the wheel was only temporary until Pruett returned. However, the partnership between Tony Stewart Racing and Elite has now cleared a path for him to continue as a driver, even as Pruett steps back into the TSR dragster.

The Stewart–Pruett household’s driver shuffle began last season when Leah took a break from racing following the birth of the couple’s first child in November 2024. Stewart didn't just fill in. He won the NHRA Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and the 2025 regular season title with victories at Las Vegas and Chicago. His form left no doubt that he belonged in the seat.

Tony Stewart celebrates with Leah Pruett and son Dominic Stewart at Route 66 Raceway. Source: Imagn

Now, after the announcement of Leah's return, TSR forged a partnership with Elite Motorsports, merging sales, marketing, and hospitality. Elite also entered the nitro competition for the first time when they acquired Hart’s Top Fuel team, and now gives Stewart the chance to keep racing.

"Having Tony as our driver, adding another Top Fuel entry, we’re taking care of the sport and opening up possibilities... Tony is a great driver; we all know he can drive anything. He’s great for drag racing, not just as a team owner, but behind the wheel. We’re excited that through our marketing alliance with Tony Stewart Racing, we’re creating an opportunity for Tony to keep a Top Fuel seat and a chance to race alongside his wife, Leah," Freeman said after the purchase, via NHRA.

Leah Pruett will reclaim her Direct Connection Dodge/SRT Top Fuel dragster under the TSR banner. Speaking on the move, Tony Stewart added:

"I said from the very beginning that I was just keeping Leah’s seat warm and that it was hers as soon as she was ready to come back. Well, she’s coming back in 2026, and that Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster is going to have her name on it, not mine... TSR is not in a position to add a second Top Fuel car. But with Richard buying Josh Hart’s team and our recent alliance, I can still work as an owner and a driver to help both our organizations grow."

Elite’s new program won’t just feature Tony Stewart. Six-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders and rising star Aaron Stanfield are also slated to test and license in the dragster as Freeman looks to broaden Elite’s footprint across NHRA’s most competitive divisions.

Tony Stewart on racing his wife, Leah Pruett: "I lied to myself obviously"

Leah Pruett alongside NHRA top fuel driver Tony Stewart at the Virginia Nationals. Source: Imagn

While Tony Stewart has thrived in his first two NHRA seasons, the family rivalry ahead has already become a talking point. On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour show, Stewart admitted that racing against his wife wasn’t something he ever thought would happen.

"I said I would not race against my wife, I lied to myself obviously… I didn’t think that would even be a possibility, nor did I honestly at first and on paper think that was a good idea. I thought if we race each other and we win, I get kicked to the couch an undisclosed amount of time. If I lose then I have to sit there and listen to my phone blow up about how I got my a** kicked by my wife."

Harvick poked fun at Tony Stewart, asking if it was the phone messages that would still sting more. He quipped that at least the couch he bought was comfortable.

For now, Stewart remains focused on 2025. The former NASCAR racer is 18 points behind Doug Kalitta in the Top Fuel standings with five races left in the Countdown to the Championship. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes September 19–21 at zMAX Dragway with the Four-Wide Carolina Nationals, where Stewart will continue his chase for a maiden Top Fuel crown.