AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
Event No. 9
Texas Motorplex
Ennis, Texas
October 16-18, 2020
LEAH PRUETT
Mopar Dodge Top Fuel Dragster
2019 Dallas Recap:
Qualified second; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Kebin Kinsley in E1; defeated by Austin Prock in E2)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified ninth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Pat Dakin in E1; defeated by Tony Schumacher in E2)
2020 Season Statistics:
14 round wins; ranked third in points
Career Statistics:
149 races; eight wins; 12 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Sits third in the Top Fuel point standings
- Will compete in two different classes - Top Fuel and the Factory Stock Showdown Series - for the fifth time this season
From Leah:
Busy week for all since the St. Louis incident. The team has been working diligently on preparing our spare car that Tony (Schumacher) had just gained possession of before Gainesville, and they’re getting a strong handle on it. Our spare has a fresh front-half on it now and we are not letting the ‘chassis roulette’ effect our championship hunt. Our eyes and focus are forward to Dallas and maintaining our strategy of qualifying well for the best Sunday result. I personally have been approaching a full recovery and am very much looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of both my Redeye Top Fueler and Dodge Drag Pak.
LEAH PRUETT
Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak
Dallas Event Highlights:
- 2018 event champion
2019 Dallas Recap:
Qualified second; Event runner-up (defeated David Barton in E1, David Janac in E2, Randy Taylor in E3; defeated by Chris Holbrook in E4)
Last Completed Event (Gainesville):
Qualified 12th; First round exit (defeated by Arthur Kohn in E1)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified seventh; Eliminations to be contested at upcoming Houston event
FSS Career Statistics:
21 races; three wins; one runner-up; two No. 1 qualifiers
*includes St. Louis
From Leah:
On preparing to run Factory Stock E1 at the previous event:
I was way good to go (following the St. Louis Top Fuel crash). I was very truthful with the doctor if I felt anything because I don't wanna jeopardize myself big picture if something was wrong and just lie so I could race in my Dodge Drag Pak. I just really felt fine, went to the factory car, got suited up, and drove that car to the lanes. I told them, ‘I put on my big-girl panties today and I came to race’ but if the other drivers didn’t want to race, I told them that I support that. I even wanted the lane I’d just crashed in because I wanted to slay this dragon immediately and expedite the road to recovery.
Source: Don Schumacher Racing
Photos: Mark J. Rebilas Photography
