Driver Leah Pruett expressed satisfaction with the NHRA’s response to other female racers in the series who were worried about missing time because of fertility problems or pregnancy.
Pregnant drivers may designate alternate drivers under the NHRA’s new pregnancy policy, which was revealed today.
A pregnant driver or a new mother can enter the race halfway through the season and still have a chance to win a championship according to the policy.
Leading a group of racers who assisted in creating the new agreement was NHRA Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett, who is expecting her first child in November.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, one of the most socially diverse racing series on the planet, has unveiled new policies to address pregnancy and pregnancy-related issues for its female drivers.
The new pregnancy policy unveiled today by the NHRA allows for replacement drivers for pregnant drivers or drivers with pregnancy issues. The policy also creates a pathway for a driver who has just started a family to jump into the season midway into a season and still compete for a championship.
It is the first replacement policy that directly addresses pregnancy.
Leah Pruett spearheaded the campaign for the new rule; she will miss the 2024 season and give birth to her first child in November with fellow racer Tony Stewart.
According to Pruett, “I was addressing what I considered to be the invisible race,” Autoweek reported. “I’ve experienced a lot of pressure to make a name for myself, succeed, and build a brand—everything a driver, male or female, needs to succeed in motorsports. There’s an unseen race, with the exception of women, to finish it sooner so you have something to return to.”
NHRA drivers Julie Nataas, Brittany Force, Angie Smith, Erica Enders, Jasmine Salinas, and Ida Zetterström were also present during the debate.
“The goal here for all of it was to create a pathway moving forward that represented what the makeup truly is in motorsports—that women are prevalent, prominent, and successful building careers in this space,” Pruett said. “And one of the largest deterrents for long-term success for females is having to get out of the seat when they decide to build a family.
“Nothing, as far as I know, had addressed that. It started with my own journey and recognizing the challenges ahead and how impossible it would be to race and start a family and its implications on my career. I thought, it doesn’t have to be this difficult and this hard.”
According to the NHRA, the following policy for replacement drivers will apply should a driver wish to suspend participation during a season due to pregnancy or pregnancy issues
