It is tricky for two race car drivers to start dating when they represent rival manufacturers. Such was the case with Tony Stewart and his wife, Leah Pruett, back in the day. While Stewart was a Mobil 1 and Ford athlete, Pruett was backed by Dodge and Pennzoil at the time. Stewart, also known as ‘Snoke’ by his fans, said that himself on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR podcast. Before announcing that they were engaged back in 2021, Stewart and Pruett had to address their conflicting interests. Thanks for the submission! Recalling the same, Tony Stewart said (42: 53), “She’s sponsored by Dodge; I’m sponsored by Ford. So, no joke. I called my PR guy and said, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on’ because nobody knew we were doing anything together. Like, there were two or three people that knew who I was with and where I was at.” Luckily, neither Dodge and Pennzoil, nor Ford and Mobil 1 had a problem with the relationship between Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett, who originally met through drag racing legend Don Prudhomme through FaceTime back in 2019. In fact, they were willing to work around it. Stewart also made sure not to wear clothes with Ford or Mobil 1 branding whenever he went to Pruett’s events. Needless to say, Pruett did the same. Recalling a trip back from Swing Arm City, Utah, Stewart said (43: 15), “I remember on the way home from Swing Arm (City) with Ken (Block), I’m driving the motorhome, she’s on the right side of the motorhome and I’m on the phone with Mobil 1, she’s on the phone with Pennzoil and we hang up from that call and I’m calling Ford and she’s calling Dodge at the same time and we’re three feet from each other having these conversations.” Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett finally tied the knot in 2021. In December 2025, the couple welcomed their first child into the world, a baby boy they named Dominic. Today, Stewart competes full-time in the NHRA Top Fuel class and is expected to represent Elite Motorsports in 2026. Pruett, on the other hand, will drive the NHRA Top Fuel dragster for Tony Stewart Racing. “I was just keeping Leah’s seat warm”- Tony Stewart opens up on vacating his wife Leah Pruett’s Top Fuel seat following NHRA return Shortly after announcing her pregnancy, Leah Pruett decided to quit racing for a while. She had motherly duties to carry out, so her husband, Tony Stewart, offered to help. Throughout the 2024 and 2025 NHRA seasons, the former NASCAR Cup Series champion served as the interim driver for Pruett’s Tony Stewart Racing dragster. Stewart won his maiden Top Fuel event in 2025, also capturing the NHRA regular-season championship. He also earned the NHRA Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. However, Stewart knew he would have to step away from the TSR Top Fuel machine if and when Pruett decides to return to formal racing. “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,” Tony Stewart said in a statement. “And as much as I wanted to continue driving, TSR is not in a position to add a second Top Fuel car.” “But with Richard (Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports) 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,” he added. 2026 marks Stewart’s third straight year competing full-time in the NHRA. He finished 2025 fifth on points, with Doug Kalitta topping the leaderboard.
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