LEAH PRUETT MAKES HER 183RD TOP FUEL START IN SONOMA
Sonoma, CA – The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is in the midst of its Western Swing. It kicked off last weekend with the Dodge 
Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and continues this weekend with DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway before culminating with the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals July 29-31 at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington.
Pruett enters Sonoma representing the Rayce Rudeen Foundation. The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction. The designated 501(c)(3) is named in honor of Rayce Rudeen, who at age 26 passed away from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. Since its inception, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation has advocated for creating a supportive community in which everyone can access prevention, treatment, recovery and family-support services, all free from stigma. By collaborating with local universities, researchers, organizations, businesses and community coalitions, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is leading communities toward a united and compassionate response to addiction by identifying gaps in care and building educational tools.
The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 183rd career Top Fuel start and her sixth at Sonoma.
Leah’s thoughts on Denver:
How important was your victory in last weekend’s Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals to making consistent runs and collecting valuable points in these five remaining events of the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship begins?
“The Denver race win proved to ourselves that we are the winning team we’ve believed all along, and infuses confidence into each of our crafts. Making eight runs at Bandimere Speedway, with some extreme turnaround times on Sunday, has exposed our team’s small opportunities to improve. It took a Sunday at Bandimere to show us how we can even improve more as we continue the Western Swing.”
What adjustments do you have to make as a driver and as a team racing at sea level this weekend at Sonoma compared to the 5,800 feet of elevation you experienced last weekend at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado?
“There’s not a deep list of adjustments for a driver. Our deliverables stay the same, but my approach changes only slightly. On the mountain, the less dense air makes mid-track wheelies a thing and something to be extra prepared for. Pulling the fronts on the launch is not as frequent because our initial hit is less, due to less power, via less air. For me, that means there’s a likelihood the car will wash out with the front hiked in the air and become less drivable. Coming to sea level, the car will be at its optimum level of aggressiveness, and I will have to really emphasize the importance of not only square, but straight. Between Denver and Sonoma, the team will give our Top Fueler a complete makeover in regard to jetting changes, blower compensation, clutch adjustments, chassis weight and, of course, the new body that will promote the Rayce Rudeen Foundation and its work with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction.”
