Leah Pruett credits TSR's race engineer for Tony Stewart's breakthrough NHRA victory
Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart's wife, Leah Pruett, recently uploaded glimpses of her husband's latest win. She accompanied the series of images with a special message for the team's race engineer for helping in Stewart's breakthrough NHRA victory.
The 53-year-old professional drag race car driver secured his maiden victory in the Top Fuel division at 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He reached a top speed of 317.42 mph and completed his run in just 3.870 seconds. Stewart's wife, Leah, and son, Dominic James Stewart, were there to witness and celebrate his first win with him on the track.
Reflecting on the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster's phenomenal performance at the Las Vegas Strip, Leah Pruett praised Tony Stewart's team race engineer for his efforts. She wrote on Instagram:
"Neal isn’t just Tony’s Crew Chief—he’s what I call our Race Engineer. And honestly, he’s been the heartbeat of this Top Fuel effort. His perseverance, vision, and belief have carried this team through every challenge."
"But it’s not just about the car. Neal has built a team that reflects who he is: gritty, precise, loyal, and all-in. These men don’t flinch when things get hard—they stay consistent and somehow dig in deeper. And that’s a reflection of his, Mike Domagala’s, and Ryan McGilvry’s leadership," she added.
Tony Stewart pilots the TSR Dodge/SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster and currently ranks second in the 2025 NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series standings with 316 points. Meanwhile, Shawn Langdon leads the points table with a lead of 16 points over Stewart.
Former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart's NHRA team praises him on his 'diverse' career
Former NASCAR Cup Series team owner Tony Stewart has one of the most diverse racing careers. Reflecting on the same, his team, Tony Stewart Nitro, flaunted his achievements in multiple series, including stock car racing and IndyCar.
An X post featured Stewart's NASCAR and IndyCar Series championship titles. He is the only driver to secure championship titles in both series. The post also highlighted his multiple titles earned in series like USAC and IROC. The team skillfully described Stewart in one word: "Talent."
The team captioned the post for Tony Stewart and wrote on X:
"@TonyStewart - Most Diverse Driver."
The Columbus, Indiana, native debuted in the Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999 and won two Cup Series titles with the team in 2002 and 2005. He clinched his third title with his co-owned team, Stewart-Haas Racing, in 2011 while driving the #14 Chevy.
Stewart retired from full-time racing in NASCAR in 2016, eight years before he ceased operations of his team after wrapping up the 2024 season. Stewart currently competes in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) as a substitute driver for his wife, Leah Pruett, who announced a temporary break from racing to start a family.