Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart’s wife and a Top Fuel force, is roaring back to NHRA in 2025 after taking 2024 off to focus on starting a family. With multiple wins since her 2016 debut and a legit championship run in 2022, Pruett’s return is a massive boost for the sport. Her fierce starts and cool-headed racing style have made her a fan favorite, and with Stewart’s growing NHRA presence, their family’s all-in on drag racing’s big stage.

Fans can’t wait to see if she’ll rocket back to title contention, bringing her signature intensity to the strip. But just as Pruett’s comeback lit up the headlines, NHRA royalty Brittany Force dropped a bombshell, announcing she’s stepping away after the 2025 season, leaving a legacy of speed and a void in the sport.

Brittany Force’s bittersweet farewell

In a heartfelt announcement at John Force Racing’s pit during the NHRA Nationals setup at Maple Grove Raceway, Brittany Force, the two-time Top Fuel champ, revealed she’s retiring from full-time racing after 2025 to start a family with husband Bobby. “After dedicating the last 13 years of my life to the NHRA and to John Force Racing, I have made the difficult and bittersweet decision to step out of the seat of my Top Fuel Dragster at the end of the season to try to start a family with my husband Bobby,” she said.

With 18 wins, 39 final-round appearances, and 56 No. 1 qualifiers, Force’s career is legendary. She’s the quickest (3.623 seconds, 2019) and fastest (343.51 mph, 2025) in NHRA history, holding nine of the top 10 fastest runs. Her 2017 title, the first for a woman since Shirley Muldowney in 1982, and her 2022 championship cemented her as a trailblazer.

Her dad, John Force, beamed with pride, “I’m really proud of Brittany and all she has accomplished throughout her career. She’s won races, set countless records, and captured two World Championships; her presence in this sport will be greatly missed.” He noted her focus on ending 2025 strong for sponsors like Monster Energy and Chevrolet, sitting fifth in points, 56 behind leader Tony Stewart and 18 behind Justin Ashley.

Force’s season includes a win at Epping, a runner-up in Seattle, and four No. 1 qualifiers, with her latest speed record set at Indy’s U.S. Nationals. “I’m grateful to my team and all our success together,” she added, praising crew chiefs David Grubnic and John Collins and vowing to keep their program under the JFR umbrella. Thanking her family, dad John, mom Laurie, sisters Adria, Ashley, and Courtney, and husband Bobby, she’s got her eyes on the Countdown to the Championship while dreaming of her next chapter.

Force left the door open, “I love this sport deeply, and I’m not closing the door on driving in the future. That’s a decision for further down the road, but right now my focus remains firmly on this season.” With six races left, starting at Reading, she’s ready to chase a third title, a fitting cap to a record-shattering career. Her exit, paired with Pruett’s return, marks a pivotal moment for NHRA’s Top Fuel scene.

Meanwhile, as Brittany Force preps for her final full-time run, Tony Stewart is doubling down on NHRA’s future.

Stewart and Elite’s powerhouse partnership

On the eve of the Countdown opener at Reading, Stewart’s TSR and Richard Freeman’s Elite Motorsports announced a game-changing alliance. Freeman called it a move “that just makes sense,” pooling their Pro Stock, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Competition Eliminator, and Pro Mod teams to boost sponsor value and growth.

“Taking care of the brands and people we have and being able to offer opportunities for those relationships to grow while having the capacity to bring more into the fold,” he said. Stewart echoed the excitement, “This is a unique strategy that Richard came up with, but I really buy into the concept of it. And I think it’s already beneficial in the short amount of time that we’ve already started working together.”

The partnership’s personal for both. “Richard and I have a great friendship, and I think that’s what great partnerships start out as. He has a great organization with great people, and I feel like putting our two teams with our great people together is just going to make for a very strong alliance.” Stewart said.

Freeman sees it as building a “super team” to maximize partner options, a vision that aligns with Stewart’s hands-on push with Pruett’s comeback. As NHRA heads into the 2025 Countdown, with Pruett charging back and Force bowing out, this coalition signals big things for the sport’s future, blending star power with strategic muscle to keep the drag strip roaring.