In a remarkable convergence of professional achievement and personal joy, motorsports legend Tony Stewart has been named the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year, capping off a season that saw him balance racing excellence with life-changing family moments.

Stewart received the prestigious honor Monday at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony at Pechanga Resort Casino, emerging victorious from an exceptionally competitive rookie class that included Brandon Foster, Richard Gadson, Derrick Reese, Jasmine Salinas, Sienna Wildgust, Daniel Wilkerson, and Ida Zetterstrom.

“It’s a big honor to win this award this season,” Stewart said during the ceremony. “There are some great drivers in the NHRA, and it’s one of the most diverse forms of motorsports I’ve been a part of.”

The NASCAR Hall of Famer’s rookie campaign in Top Fuel was particularly noteworthy, featuring two final-round appearances, four semifinals, and a successful qualification for the Countdown to the Championship, ultimately finishing ninth in the points standings. Stewart, who took over driving duties from his wife, Top Fuel star Leah Pruett, achieved a career-best run of 3.688 seconds at 334.73 mph in his 11,000-horsepower dragster.

In a dramatic finale to the season, Stewart competed in the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona mere hours after Pruett gave birth to their first child, Dominic James Stewart, early Sunday morning. He advanced to the semifinals that day, demonstrating the kind of determination that has marked his illustrious career across multiple racing disciplines.

The transition to Top Fuel marked the latest chapter in Stewart’s distinguished racing career, which already included championships in both NASCAR and IndyCar. His path to Top Fuel began with the formation of Tony Stewart Racing’s NHRA team in 2022 and included valuable experience in the Top Alcohol Dragster category of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

“The two main coaches I had were Matt Hagan and my wife, Leah,” Stewart acknowledged. “Thank you, Leah, for giving me this opportunity, and I want to thank everyone at NHRA. It’s been a blast this year.”

Among the notable rookie performances in 2024, Pro Stock Motorcycle competitor Richard Gadson secured third place in points with three final-round appearances and a Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory. Top Fuel newcomers Jasmine Salinas and Ida Zetterstrom also made significant impacts, with Salinas achieving her first 3.60-second run at the Pomona finale and Zetterstrom, the 2023 European Top Fuel champion, securing three round wins in her eight-race NHRA debut.

Daniel Wilkerson carried on his family’s racing legacy in Funny Car, reaching the final round at the Charlotte four-wide event and finishing seventh in points, while Pro Stock welcomed promising talents Foster, Reese, and Wildgust to its competitive ranks.

The Rookie of the Year award, selected by leading auto racing journalists, evaluates competitors based on their event participation, on-track performance, involvement in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors, and media. Stewart joins an impressive list of recent winners, including Chase Van Sant (2023), Camrie Caruso (2022), Dallas Glenn (2021), Justin Ashley (2020), and 2024 Funny Car champion Austin Prock (2019).