Don't let an uncontested final fool you, Leah Pruett was destined to get the win at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Denver.
Pruett claimed her first win since the 2021 season-opener in Pomona and scored her first win as a member of Tony Stewart Racing. The team was put together swiftly last winter by her husband, Tony Stewart along with many others. Pruett has struggle at times this year, but she was among the leaders in Denver with her Dodge Power Brokers dragster and has claimed a spot in the Top 10 and possibly the championship conversation.
The final was anticlimactic as Pruett was awarded a single run after Shawn Langdon’s DHL dragster was shut off after putting fluid on the starting line during the burnout. Not happy to just take the win without making a hard run, Pruett finished the job with a 3.884, 316.38 to make it official.
“This is everything,” said an emotional Pruett. “This being the Dodge Power Brokers Nationals we brokered that Dodge power all week long. My crew has been flawless all weekend long and couldn’t be more proud to do this in front these Denver Fans. I’ll say two things; this view never gets old. Also, this is the first Top Fuel win for Tony Stewart Racing and that will also never get old.
“As far as Shawn goes, he’s really good,” Pruett said. “I know we might not be the most compatible people in terms of personalities. I hated when I lost to him in the [2020] Indy final but no matter what happened in other lane I had confidence in our team. We ran 3.88 in the final and that would have been hard to beat.”
Pruett was dominant in Denver from the first qualifying session to the final. She was third quickest in the field with a 3.777 and then drove to wins against Antron Brown, Clay Millican, and Justin Ashley. Pruett’s win over Ashley was perhaps her most impressive as she had a .015 reaction time and also ran a 3.879 in the most hot conditions of the weekend.
See the full recap by Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor:
See the Sunday photo gallery from the NHRA National Dragster staff:
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