Leah Pruett, driving for the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster, is set to compete in the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park. This marks the 13th event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 21-race calendar.
Currently, Pruett ranks fifth in the Top Fuel championship standings, trailing the leader, Justin Ashley, by 217 points. This race holds significant weight for Pruett as she aims for her debut victory in the Menards NHRA Nationals. Alongside, she’s also targeting her first No. 1 qualifier at the event. Recalling her past performances, Leah’s best was in 2017 when she secured the second position, only to lose to Antron Brown in the semifinals. She also had an impressive run in 2021, driving a Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to the final round in the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown but ultimately faced a loss against John Cerbone.
Pruett spoke about her anticipation for the event and her focus on her performance. She shared, “We want a 180 of our Western Swing results. That starts with qualifying low and well, which will come down to our first hit off the trailer at 8 p.m. Friday. I’ve been intensely working on the intention of attacking instead of reacting, aiming to boost our starting line advantages and help our team return to the winner’s circle.”
She continued, “Heartland Motorsports Park may not be my deepest emotional connection, but it’s always treated me well, along with their ardent fans. A victory this weekend would symbolize a lot for us. It would be a testament that our strategy changes are resulting in enhanced performance. As a driver, I’m hungry to win these tight races, and doing so would mean invaluable exposure for the Rayce Rudeen Foundation and their noble cause of empowering communities to fight against addiction. We hope our on-track achievements can motivate the loved ones of addicts to seek and sustain support.”
This story was originally published on August 10, 2023. 
