NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart ready for new challenge with drag racing

A 2020 NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart has more motivation to race after taking the place of his wife, Leah Pruett, during the 2024 National Hot Rod Association [NHRA] season.

Stewart will compete at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet on May 17-19.

“At the age of 52, to be a rookie in a new form of motorsports is exhilarating to a certain degree,” Stewart told the Sun-Times. “But it's fun because you always get the group of people that say, ‘Well, he might have done this, this, and this, but he won't figure this [NHRA] out, and he won't be good at this. That's the stuff that motivates me ... when they say he's not going to do well on this.”

The NHRA is a form of drag racing founded in 1951, with 24 races each season. In his career, Stewart has won in vastly different forms of racing. He’s the only driver to win a championship in IndyCar and NASCAR. He’s racing in the NHRA because Pruett took a leave from the sport to start a family with Stewart.

Stewart said the most challenging part has been taking in all the information his way.

“It's easy to figure it out as you go, but it's hard to go to a car that's running 300 miles an hour,” Stewart said. “In a scenario where you're coming from a dead stop at a light, waiting for the light to change,and then all of a sudden, in the first 60 feet, you're already running 100 miles an hour.”

Racing for his wife added pressure as Stewart prepared for the season. He knows how difficult it was for her to decide to walk away and the standard she holds herself to as a drag racer.

“You can't put a value on it, honestly,” Stewart said. “If it wasn't for her, there's no way I would be in a position to be able to drive this race car.”

Stewart loves the challenges of competing in different forms of racing. He finds it exhilarating. Becoming a full-time drag racer started in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Stewart lost by an inch, finishing second in an NHRA event. Once he started to feel comfortable, Stewart grew confident in competing full-time. Despite the confidence growing, doubts still lingered in his head.

“All winter, I sat there and questioned myself,” Stewart said. “Am I making the right decision? Am I ready for this? But all the other pro drivers I spoke to are like, ‘You don't know until you get in it, and you'll be fine once you start doing it.’ But it's easy to sit there and be apprehensive.”

The Hall of Famer said he’s ready to race in Joliet in May. After having some races under his belt, Stewart feels prepared for the moment. But the exhilaration and adrenaline aren’t enough to overcome the uncomfortableness of not rushing yourself. Stewart said he’s been trying to slow down, which is hard because of the style of racing and all the new information coming his way.

“When you get edgy, you tend to rush things,” Stewart said. “It was about remembering the procedure, which was one of the hard things I struggled with. Just learning the procedure of all the steps that you had to do before you even hit the gas pedal.”

Despite the newness surrounding him in his newest endeavor, Stewart is still a competitor.

“When we do figure it out and are successful, it just makes it more fun,” Stewart said.