In 2025, motorsport is witnessing one of the most unexpected yet fascinating evolutions in racing careers because of Tony Stewart. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, former IndyCar star, and one of the few drivers to complete the grueling Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 ‘Double’, has now found himself behind the mic, offering pre-race commentary for the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race on FOX Sports.

Adding to the drama of the race week, Tony’s wife, and an accomplished Top Fuel drag racer, Leah Pruett, has been watching her husband getting back in the limelight. The couple, married since 2021, share a deep-rooted connection through racing, mutual respect, and relentless drive, while also being supported wholeheartedly by their fans. But recently, Pruett wasn’t seen alongside her husband. Rather, she cheered for her husband’s big TV moment from a distance.

With Stewart transitioning from track to television, many would have expected Leah to be front and cheering him on at the Indy 500 booth. However, things did not go as planned. In a recent story that Leah posted on her Instagram, she is seen watching her husband’s telecast on TV with the caption, “Feeling ultra sick from food poisoning, but glad the #indy500 isn’t blacked out.” Despite being away, we can see the love radiating through the post itself.

This is the first Indy 500 broadcast on FOX after they signed a new deal, and they wouldn’t want a blackout to spoil their big opportunity. Fortunately, the Indy 500 has a sold-out crowd, and race fans in the local area would be able to enjoy the racing action from their homes. The idea behind the blackout is that it encourages the local population to witness the race live from the track, and if they wanted to watch the race on TV, they would get a repeat telecast the next day. Luckily, things have worked out this time around, and Pruett is certainly enjoying seeing her husband honing his skills in front of the mic.

Even Kelly Crandall, NASCAR writer at Racer.com was caught off-guard watching Stewart control the mic and not the wheel of a race car. “It’s so weird to be in the year 2025 and Tony Stewart, an open wheel and NASCAR champion, and a driver who has done the Indy/CLT double, is now on the Indy pre-race show while an active NHRA driver and point leader.” He might have had a fallout with NASCAR with how things turned out for him, but it seems that IndyCar is still close to his heart.

Smoke might have his differences with NASCAR, but he is rallying behind Kyle Larson to beat his record and etch his name in the record books. If anyone knows how to bounce back from a disappointment to complete the Double, it is Stewart, and he feels that Larson has all the talent in the world to do the same.

Tony Stewart backs Kyle Larson’s redemption Indy 500 run

Last year’s double duty was a bitter pill to swallow for Kyle Larson and the Hendrick Motorsports camp. A rain delay forced him to decide to ditch the start of the Coca-Cola 600. Yet, a pit stop misstep derailed his strong run, and what followed was chaos and uncertainty. The waiver controversy was not what the team expected, and they halted any possibilities of him getting another shot at it. But winning the Brickyard 400, Yung Money proved that the hunger was still burning inside his belly, and he wanted to complete the job at the Indy 500.

NASCAR brought in the new playoff waiver rule, and it was agreed that the driver of the No. 5 Chevy will prioritize the Cup race at Charlotte in case of rain. Not just fans, but even Tony Stewart himself is excited to see Larson back in action in the open-wheel car. “I think it’d be easy for Kyle to do that—matching the mileage, being on the lead lap both of those races. I feel like for Kyle, that’s very easy for him to accomplish. And I don’t think it’s out of the realm for him to beat what we did as far as performance… I think anybody that has a record, in the back of their mind, doesn’t want it to be broken. But if it’s going to be broken, Kyle’s the guy I want to do it.”

Expectations are indeed huge for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, and fans would want to see him complete the 1,100 miles just like Stewart did back in 2001.