Tony Stewart to make NASCAR return at Daytona
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will make his return to NASCAR in February at Daytona.
Stewart will race Kaulig’s No. 25 Ram 1500 in the Feb. 13 season-opening race for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway.
“I’ve raced just about everything with four wheels at Daytona, but never a truck. So when a seat in the new Ram was offered up for their first race back in NASCAR, I didn’t hesitate,” Stewart said. “Ram’s Free Agent program is another great way for me to stay sharp and have a little fun.”
Kaulig’s “Free Agent” program will bring legendary drivers and rising stars to the spotlight. They will announce the driver before every race – and the announcement about Stewart comes a month before Daytona.
“We’re not just returning to the track; we’re rewriting the playbook. Bringing Tony in as the first Free Agent will generate a crazy amount of excitement, which is exactly why we created the program, allowing fans to watch an all-time favorite driver get back into the seat, but this time, it’s a Ram truck,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance, North America marketing and retail strategy, Stellantis. “This is about honoring a legacy. Tony represents grit, determination and the spirit of racing — pure adrenaline for the fans.”
Stewart is the fourth driver Kaulig has named to its Ram Trucks program. His teammates at Daytona will be Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, Daniel Dye, Justin Haley and the winner of the “Race for the Seat” reality TV show set to debut and air before the season opener at Daytona.
“Having Tony Stewart in one of our Ram trucks is the kind of thing you dream about,” said Matt Kaulig, founder and owner of Kaulig Racing. “He’s a legend. His name alone brings energy to the sport. We couldn’t be more fired up to have him in our camp as we roll into Daytona for our first race. This is going to be a ride worth watching.”
Stewart has 19 wins at Daytona across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and IROC. Although he retired from full-time NASCAR competition in 2016, Stewart has continued his racing career in NHRA Top Fuel competition – winning in 2025 and contending for the title.
While Stewart’s last NASCAR national series start was in 2016 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, his last scheduled start was in 2020 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. However, the COVID pandemic scrapped his plans to run the race – setting up his first race in nearly nine years this February at Daytona.
Discover more from The Racing Experts
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com