LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 28: Tony Stewart (314 TA) Mobil 1 McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster talks with fans and his wife, Leah Pruett (777 TF) Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster during the NHRA Nevada Nationals on October 28, 2022, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/LVMS/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It would seem that Tony Stewart isn’t done with racing in the NHRA’s Top Fuel division. Not by a long shot.
On Thursday, Elite Motorsports announced that, once funding is secured, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will slide into the seat of its Top Fuel dragster for the 2026 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season.
It’s a deal born from Richard Freeman’s recent purchase of Josh Hart’s operation and his ongoing alliance with Tony Stewart Racing. Six-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders and rising star Aaron Stanfield will also license in the car, making Elite’s Top Fuel program a family affair.
“Having Tony as our driver, adding another Top Fuel entry, we’re taking care of the sport and opening up possibilities,” Freeman said. “That’s why we’ll have Erica and Aaron get licensed in the car as well. First things first though, we need to get the program funded, but letting everyone know our intentions—that will help.”
For Stewart, the move keeps him behind the wheel just as his wife, Leah Pruett, returns to reclaim her own seat in 2026. That was always the plan. “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,” Stewart said. “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.”
Of course, that also means Stewart will find himself staring down one of racing’s most awkward scenarios—competing directly against his spouse. Earlier this year, Stewart admitted the thought left him uneasy. “I still think it’s a terrible idea,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s a no-win situation for me. If I win, I get kicked to the couch. If she wins, I get to call all my buddies and tell them I got my ass kicked by my wife. Still trying to figure out where this is a positive for me.”
LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 30: Tony Stewart (314 TA) Mobil 1 McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster congratulates Erica Enders (2 PRO) Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro NHRA Pro Stock on her NHRA Pro Stock World Championship and her event win while Matt Hagan (14 FC, left) Dodge Power Brokers Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat NHRA Funny Car hugs his teammate Leah Pruett (777 TF) Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Top Fuel Dragster during the NHRA Nevada Nationals on October 30, 2022 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/LVMS/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2026 season will mark Stewart’s third in Top Fuel, and he’s already made a point of proving he belongs. After earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, Stewart broke through in 2025 with his first Top Fuel victory at the Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. He now has two wins on his resume plus a regular season championship title. And with five races remaining in the Countdown, he sits just 18 points out of first place as he chases his first Top Fuel world championship.
One thing’s clear: Stewart’s NHRA story is only getting more interesting. He’s already mastered stock cars and Indy cars. Now, he’s proving he can wrestle with 11,000-horsepower dragsters—and soon, he may have to wrestle with the fact that his toughest opponent could be the person sitting across from him at the dinner table.
The 2025 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series continues this weekend at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte with the NHRA Four-Wide Carolina Nationals, race two of six in the Countdown.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregengle/2025/09/18/stewart-secures-new-nhra-top-fuel-seat-awkward-family-showdown-looms/
