PRUETT TO RACE PINK-INSPIRED THIS WEEKEND IN VEGAS

Pro Mod drag racing star Leah Pruett hopes to finish her 2012 season just as she did one year ago -- with a victory in the NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by ProCare Rx at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas.

"We want to have our best race of the year this weekend," Pruett said. "We've got the racecar, we've got the crew, I feel great about my driving, we just need to put it all together and we'll have a great shot at defending our title.

"We're all ready to launch into the next chapter of our lives, whether it's staying here in Pro Mod and going after the 2013 championship or moving onto nitro racing, we all want to go into the off-season with a big win under our belts."

So far, Pruett's best event of the season came two races ago in Charlotte where she rose from the bottom half of the Pro Mod field to beat her car owner Roger Burgess, top qualifier Don Walsh, Kevin McCurdy and Mike Knowles to successfully defend her zMax Dragway trophy.

"They say it's harder to defend a race title than win it for the first time," Pruett said. "I think they're all pretty tough to win and it's always a great feeling when you pull it off. We did defend Charlotte so hopefully that mojo carries over to Vegas. They're both Bruton Smith tracks so maybe that will help."

Pruett's powerful racecar, nicknamed Mustang Sally, will sport two massive pink racing stripes, a pair of ribbons and pink accents throughout the design to support Breast Cancer Awareness. It's a cause very close to Pruett's heart.

"Two of my aunts have dealt with breast cancer; one survived and the other didn't, so this is something that has really hit our family hard," Pruett said. "My fiancé's (Gary Pritchett) Godmother is (drag racing legend) Bunny Burkett and she's a survivor as well. Plus, our team owner Roger Burgess recently lost a close friend, Mike Nelson, to stomach cancer at the age of 32. That's why we'll have the breast cancer ribbon and the stomach cancer ribbon on the car.

"The design is really pretty. I think that car looked great before but I might like this design even better. It's really eye-catching and obviously it means so much to us to help raise awareness for cancer research."

Prior to the race, Pruett will spend time with fans from 5-7 p.m. at the NHRA Las Vegas Fanfest at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas.

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