Auburn Hills, MI – Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge driver Leah Pruett’s return to this year’s NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series has been spectacular as she ranks third in the Top Fuel points standings after seven races. Her sensational consistency Sunday at the NHRA Potomac Nationals continued with a close semifinals finish, while her TSR Dodge teammate Matt Hagan experienced a rare early exit.

Pruett, who nearly won the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel world championship, jumped out of her 12,000-horsepower TSR Dodge dragster to start a family with her husband, Tony Stewart, in 2024 and 2025, as Tony took over the driving chores of the nitro dragster and captured the 2025 NHRA Top Fuel regular season title.

The Arizona driver decided to return to NHRA competition after serving as a mother (with son Dominic), wife and chief consultant for the TSR two-car operation the past two seasons, and her racing return was questioned throughout the pit area. But there is little doubt about that decision now.
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Auburn Hills, MI – Moving into the heart of the 2026 NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge nitro drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan had their sights on the tough Route 66 Raceway drag strip and scoring another coveted win, but the two veteran racers had to settle for semifinals finishes in humid and windy track conditions Sunday in the annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals.

With five races in seven weeks, valuable points were on the line at the Joliet racing dragstrip as the two TSR Dodge competitors seek the NHRA world championships in the Top Fuel (Pruett) and Funny Car (Hagan) divisions.

The Route 66 Nationals was the first race of the five events set for late May and all of June and Pruett and Hagan knew a win would vault their championship chances. The next NHRA events include Budd’s Creek, Md. (May 29-31), Epping, N.H. (June 5-7), Bristol, Tenn. (June 12-14), and Norwalk, Ohio (June 26-28).
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Both Remain in Top Three in Top Fuel, Funny Car Points

Auburn Hills, MI – Tough track conditions for Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan hampered their chances to advance to another final round Sunday in the sold-out NHRA Southern Nationals drag races at South Georgia Motorsports Park, as both racers drove to quarterfinal finishes in the fifth event in the 20-race NHRA Mission Series.

With rainstorms delaying qualifying through Friday and Saturday, the inaugural NHRA national event at the Valdosta, Ga., area drag strip made for a tricky track surface all three days of the nitro action. In fact, the professional drivers only had three qualifying attempts due to the rain.

But Pruett and Hagan qualified in the top half of their respective classes, Top Fuel and Funny Car, and scored first round wins in Sunday’s eliminations. Unfortunately, both TSR American Rebel Beer Dodge competitors did not gain lane choice in the quarterfinals, as the left lane proved to be a disadvantage through Sunday’s racing.
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Pruett Races Husband Stewart for First Time in Top Fuel

Auburn Hills, MI — Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge teammates Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan advanced to the final rounds in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions, respectively, on Sunday at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte.

Pruett, driving the TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat Top Fuel dragster, returned to the driver’s seat last month after a two-year layoff and has wasted no time making an impact. After a runner-up finish at the NHRA Arizona Nationals and a No. 1 qualifying position at the Winternationals, she continued her strong start with another impressive qualifying effort (No. 2) in the 16-car Top Fuel field at the Four-Wide Nationals.

Seeking her first NHRA victory since 2023, Pruett posted the quickest elapsed time of the entire event in the first round with a 3.673-second pass. She followed that up with a solid 3.749 in round two, advancing to the final quad.
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Pruett Records No. 1 Qualifying Spot, TSR Owner Stewart Secures Top Fuel Win

Auburn Hills, MI – Four-time NHRA world champion Matt Hagan enjoyed a magical weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals by capturing the historic 1,000th NHRA Funny Car race Sunday and the Mission 2Fast2Tasty Qualifying Challenge Saturday at the wheel of the 12,000-horsepower Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) JHG Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, while TSR teammate Leah Pruett was the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier and TSR team owner Tony Stewart captured his third NHRA national event for Elite Motorsports at the In-N-Out Dragstrip.

Hagan scored his fifth Winternationals title and eight overall In-N-Out Dragstrip triumph at the legendary Los Angeles County Fairgrounds racing facility with a close final round matchup with longtime rival Ron Capps. In recording his 56th career NHRA Funny Car win, Hagan posted a 3.876 to Capps’ 3.893 to round out a sensational event.

After qualifying fourth in the 16-car lineup, Hagan collected another $10,000 and a special Mission trophy by besting veteran Paul Lee in the final of the Mission 2Fast2Tasty Qualifying Challenge on Saturday with a 3.940. During Sunday’s rain-delayed eliminations, Hagan was the model of consistency that led to the coveted 1,000th Funny Car race victory. The Virginia racer clocked a 3.892 in defeating Spencer Hyde in round one, a 3.906 over Jason Rupert in round two and a 3.886 in the semifinals race against J.R. Todd.
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Auburn Hills, MI – Drag racer Leah Pruett has many great memories at Firebird Motorsports Park, dating back to her Junior Dragster days and winning her first Top Fuel race in 2016. The new mother was seeking another one Sunday in the NHRA Arizona Nationals, reaching the final round in her Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Rayce Rudeen Foundation Dodge dragster. Pruett settled for an impressive runner-up finish in just her second race since returning to the cockpit, while TSR Dodge teammate Matt Hagan drove to the semifinals in the Funny Car class.

Pruett, who nearly won the 2023 NHRA Mission Top Fuel world championship before taking a two-year layoff to start a family with husband Tony Stewart, returned to action two weeks ago at the NHRA Gatornationals with a quarterfinal finish in her TSR Dodge Direct Connection dragster. This weekend at the Arizona Nationals, Pruett was set to fight for the race win after qualifying second Saturday at 3.788.

With air temperatures over 100 degrees and track surfaces over 140, all of the Nitro teams were studying their charts for the proper traction at the tricky track, and Pruett’s crew chiefs Neal Strasbaugh and Mike Domagala were no different. However, the TSR brain thrust was on its game Sunday with impressive round wins by Pruett over Cameron Ferre, Gatornationals winner Josh Hart and reigning NHRA Mission Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta. Continue reading →

Auburn Hills, MI – Veteran drag racer Leah Pruett made her return to NHRA drag racing competition Sunday at the NHRA Gatornationals when she drove her Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge Top Fuel dragster to a quarterfinals finish at Gainesville Raceway, while TSR Dodge teammate Matt Hagan debuted his Dodge//SRT Funny Car with a quarterfinals placing.

Pruett, who nearly won the NHRA Mission world championship two years ago in the 2023 final race at Pomona, came back from a two-year hiatus after starting a family with husband Tony Stewart and immediately made her presence felt with a superb 3.690 qualifying performance on Friday night in front of a big crowd. The 3.690 placed the Arizona racer third in the 16-car field for Sunday’s final eliminations.

The 12-time NHRA Top Fuel race winner also recorded low elapsed time (E.T.) in the opening round of Top Fuel competition Sunday with a 3.713 in defeating Jasmine Salinas. In the quarterfinals, Pruett faced reigning Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta, who scored the round win at 3.764 to Leah’s 3.871 in hot, humid conditions. Continue reading →

Teams Up with Four-time Champ Matt Hagan at Season-opening NHRA Gatornationals 

Auburn Hills, MI – After a two-year hiatus, Dodge NHRA Top Fuel standout Leah Pruett is set to make a headline-grabbing return to competition, climbing back into her 12,000-horsepower Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) dragster for a highly anticipated season debut at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, March 5–8. Pruett rejoins a powerhouse Dodge TSR lineup anchored by four-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan.

“The 2026 NHRA season gives Dodge and Tony Stewart Racing another chance to show what happens when pure competitive drive and Dodge muscle hit the drag strip,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. “We welcome Leah Pruett back home to her Tony Stewart Racing Top Fuel dragster and four-time NHRA champ Matt Hagan back for his 19th year behind the wheel of a Dodge Funny Car. Both Leah and Matt, as well as team owner Tony Stewart, embody the attitude the Dodge brand stands for, and together they make this season one that will push our limits in all the right ways.”

Pruett, a 12-time NHRA Top Fuel national event winner, shocked the motorsports world in 2023 when she walked away from the TSR Top Fuel car that nearly took her to the 2023 world championship to start a family with husband Tony Stewart. Stewart, a NASCAR, IndyCar and USAC series champion and motorsports Hall of Famer, continued the TSR team’s Top Fuel success by winning two NHRA events (Las Vegas and Joliet). as well as the 2025 NHRA Top Fuel regular-season title. Continue reading →