Tony Schumacher Joins Tony Stewart Racing Team

Tony Stewart Racing is making a major move for the 2027 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, and the driver stepping into its Top Fuel dragster certainly doesn’t need an introduction.

Eight-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher has signed a multi-year agreement with Tony Stewart Racing and will take over driving duties beginning in 2027. Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history with 88 national event victories, will replace Leah Pruett, who is stepping away from full-time competition to focus on growing her family with her husband and TSR owner Tony Stewart.

The move puts one of the most accomplished drivers in drag racing history into an established championship-caliber program and pairs Schumacher with four-time Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan under the TSR banner.

Pruett’s decision comes during a strong 2026 season in which she currently sits third in the NHRA Top Fuel standings. She has 13 career Top Fuel victories, including the 2026 NHRA New England Nationals, which marked her first win since becoming a mother.

“I made the decision to step out of the seat to put some more focus on our family. Hopefully that means growing our family, but it also gives me the opportunity to be more present with Dom during such an important stage of his life. I feel incredibly fortunate that I’m in a position where I can make that choice, and I’m genuinely excited about what this next chapter looks like for us,” said Pruett. “At the same time, this season has been one of the most fulfilling of my career. I’ve had so much enjoyment racing with my team, and personally, the pursuit of continuing to push myself to try to match the level at which this team performs has been incredibly challenging and rewarding. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together, and I’m proud of where this program is headed.

“That makes me even more excited about who we’re putting in the seat. Tony Schumacher is one of the most decorated racers our sport has ever seen,” Pruett continued. “There’s been so much momentum building within this team, and I have every confidence that Tony can take what we’ve built and continue pushing it forward. When you look at the team, the partners and now the driver, the puzzle pieces have really come together to create something that I believe will compete for championships for a long time.”

Pruett previously stepped away from driving following the 2023 season to start a family. That season ended with Pruett fighting Doug Kalitta for the Top Fuel championship all the way to a winner-take-all final round at the NHRA Finals. She ultimately finished 57 points short of the title.

After returning to competition, Pruett again showed she could race at the front of the category. Now she is making another family-driven decision, but she emphasized that stepping out of the car does not mean closing the door on racing.

“I also have to acknowledge our partners and the fans who have supported me through every version of this journey,” Pruett said. “They supported me when I stepped away three years ago to start our family, they welcomed me back with an incredible amount of love when I returned to racing, and they continue to support me as our family evolves again. There really isn’t a roadmap for navigating motherhood and a career at this level of motorsports, so having that kind of support has meant more to me than I can put into words.

“And just to be clear, this is not retirement, and I’m not going anywhere. I plan to be every bit as involved with this team as I was the last time I stepped out of the seat,” Pruett clarified. “And, just like before, the hope is that there’s another opportunity for me to get back in the car. I’m not making any promises or putting a timeline on it, but I feel really comfortable and confident knowing we’ve built a solid foundation and a formidable team that can continue chasing championships for years to come.”

There aren’t many drivers who could step into Pruett’s seat and immediately bring more championship experience. Schumacher has eight NHRA Top Fuel world championships and 88 national event victories, making him the winningest driver in the history of the category.

His experience extends across more than three decades of Top Fuel competition, and he’ll also be reunited with some familiar faces at TSR. Crew chief Neal Strausbaugh and car chief Ryan McGilvry have previously worked with Schumacher during championship campaigns.

“I couldn’t have seen this coming or planned something this good—it truly fell into place as perfectly as possible. Over the last several years, it’s been a building process. To get to this moment where I get to represent ACC, Aloha Beauty, and all my partners alongside people who operate at a high level and truly love the sport—I couldn’t be more pleased to be joining TSR,” Schumacher said. “I feel privileged that Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett, such a power couple who are in this purely for the love of the sport, trust me with the seat of the Top Fuel dragster. I’ve known them for a while, Leah at DSR, Tony when he had Ryan Newman’s Army car, and I’ve worked with (crew chief) Neal Strausbaugh and (car chief) Ryan McGilvry before, we’ve battled through championships together. Then to be brought into the Dodge family—who were an affiliate for the Army car at DSR—and now be a teammate to some of the best drivers and team owners is pretty incredible. My wife, Summer, our sponsors, and I are excited for the future and look forward to chasing championships.”

Tony Stewart expressed his full support for Pruett’s decision while also pointing to Schumacher’s experience as a major asset for the future of the program.

“I am truly proud of Leah. I think anyone who knows her can understand what I mean. As a mother, as a wife, as a race car driver: she really is an incredible human being,” Stewart said. “For her to be able to make the decision to step out of the seat, not just once, but twice, especially after the comeback year the team is having, that takes a level of strength and determination few people have. Seeing her with Dom, juggling the pressures of racing while being so present for him and for me, I’m really not sure how she does it all. Like I said three years ago, the decision, the timing, is up to her and I completely support any decision she makes.

“We have some of the best partners who have been supportive of Leah’s journey and our family, and we could not do this without them. That’s why I think we’re lucky to be able to say Tony Schumacher is coming on board to fill the seat. His experience, talent and understanding of what it takes to compete at this level make him the perfect fit for this opportunity. We have a lot of confidence in him, and we are excited about what the future holds for the team.

“I will continue to drive for Elite Motorsports. I’m enjoying myself and the rapport I’ve built with Mike Green, Joe Barlam, Richard Freeman and the group they’ve put together. Racing against my own team keeps things interesting.”

Schumacher’s move to Tony Stewart Racing also includes several of his existing marketing partners. American Communications Construction, Aloha Beauty Lounge, 5.11 and Hollinger will join TSR’s partner lineup. ACC and Aloha Beauty Lounge first joined Schumacher at the 2025 NHRA U.S. Nationals and have continued backing his racing efforts.

“American Communications Construction is proud to support Tony Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history, as we embark on this exciting new partnership with Tony Stewart Racing. Tony Schumacher’s extraordinary record, experience, and commitment to excellence make him an exceptional representative of the sport and a tremendous partner for our company,” said Aven McBride, President of American Communications Construction. “We are equally excited about the opportunity to align American Communications Construction with the Tony Stewart Racing organization and its culture of competition, performance, and innovation. We look forward to building a strong and successful partnership and to becoming a force together in the NHRA Drag Racing series.

Dodge and Mopar will also remain important parts of the TSR Top Fuel program in both primary and associate roles. The connection is familiar territory for Schumacher. Dodge previously appeared as an associate partner on Schumacher’s cars through its relationship with Don Schumacher Racing from 2003 through 2021.

TSR’s relationship with Dodge began when the team entered NHRA competition in 2022. Since then, the partnership has produced 25 victories, Hagan’s 2023 Funny Car championship, Stewart’s 2025 Top Fuel regular-season championship, and Hagan’s 2026 Funny Car regular-season title.

“Since joining forces with Tony Stewart Racing in 2022, Dodge has built a winning NHRA partnership highlighted by 25 victories, Matt Hagan’s 2023 Funny Car world championship and Leah Pruett’s championship-caliber Top Fuel run that same season,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. “Dodge has spent more than six decades forging one of the most successful legacies in NHRA history, collecting championships and race wins across generations. We thank Leah for her tremendous partnership and contributions to Dodge, and we’re excited to welcome Tony Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history, to Tony Stewart Racing’s Dodge lineup for the 2027 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. With Tony and Matt behind the wheel, we’re ready to chase more wins, contend for more championships, and give Dodge enthusiasts more to cheer about next season.”

Putting Schumacher alongside Hagan gives Tony Stewart Racing a staggering amount of championship experience. Schumacher brings eight Top Fuel championships and 88 wins. Hagan brings four Funny Car championships and remains one of the most successful drivers of the current nitro era. Add an established TSR organization, familiar crew members and major backing from Dodge and Mopar, and there won’t be much of a learning curve expected when Schumacher rolls into the water box next season.