From Pomona to Phoenix – A NASCAR star’s race to the birth of his son – Whittier Daily News

Think you had a busy weekend? NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Tony Stewart and his wife, fellow NHRA driver Leah Pruett, have us all beat.

In the run-up to Thanksgiving, the couple knew they were near the finish line to a very special project, the birth of their first child. But since Pruett, 36, was still days away from her due date, she and Stewart, 53, gave the green light for the motorsports legend to race in the NHRA season finale at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

“I’m doing a hospitality appearance before our first run of the day. Near the end of it, Kelly Antonelli, our team manager, comes over to me, puts her hand on my shoulder and says that Leah is on her way to the hospital in Phoenix,” Stewart said. “It caught me off guard because that wasn’t what we’d planned. I finished up with photos and autographs and called Leah. She said everything was fine and for me to focus and get ready for our run. We made our run and as soon as I got back I called Leah.

“‘Everything is fine, nothing has changed. Get ready for your last qualifying run,’ she said.”

Stewart qualified seventh for the NHRA finals and within 30 minutes of his second run was on a plane leaving Brackett Field in La Verne, en route to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and the hospital. Stewart said it’s lucky Brackett Field is right across the street from the track. (No word on how fast his car went on the trip from airport to hospital.)

When he arrived, he found Pruett, “beautiful and calm,” wanting to make sure he could stay as long as possible, but also wanting to know how long her could hold out before getting back to Pomona to race.

A little over nine hours — and an epidural later — after flying in from Pomona, Stewart added the title of “Dad” to his many accomplishments, which includes winning championships in both NASCAR and IndyCar.

Dominic James Stewart was born at 4:43 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, weighing in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and 21 inches long. He already possesses an impressive racing lineage, what with his mom being a championship driver, too. Pruett was a champ in another way, her husband said.

“I’ve never  been so proud of Leah as I was that weekend,” Stewart said. “I always knew she was a strong woman, but when Dom arrived and I looked back at her and she didn’t have one bead of sweat on her face, I learned how strong and how much of a badass she really is.”

Stewart had three hours with his family before he flew back to La Verne to finish racing in the semifinals in Pomona, where his crew scrawled “Dad” on red tape to his race car.

He didn’t win the championship, but for he and his family, the experience was a victory like no other.

In these early days, Stewart said he is fueled by the ordinary-but-this-means-the-world moments of parenthood. After accepting applause, hugs and goodbyes from his racing family in Pomona, Stewart said he will never forget walking in to see his wife and son again.

“It was such a cool moment,” he said. “Until you experience that, it’s impossible to tell someone how that feels. Dom was fussy all that night. Leah and I didn’t sleep. Finally on Monday, Leah and Dom got some rest. It was surreal watching them three feet away sleeping, know what I witnessed 24 hours earlier.”

Pruett said this Thanksgiving is already one for the record books. Baby Dom will later learn the stats: his mom was in labor for nine hours with an hour and a half of pushing, all worth it when she got to hold her perfect baby boy, Pruett said.

Baby Dom’s parents said you couldn’t make up this whirlwind-on-wheels birth story if you tried. But having the best crew of friends around new parents made all the difference.

“It made everything so much easier for us,” Stewart said. “We have such a large racing family, and so many true friends, that we wanted to share this with everyone.”