Tony Stewart. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Tony Stewart's NASCAR return 'a big deal for the sport'

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 3:44 PM ET

NASCAR Hall of Famer and three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will return to NASCAR competition at Daytona International Speedway in February for the first time in nearly a decade.

Stewart, 54, will drive Kaulig Racing's No. 25 RAM in the Feb. 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona as the first of many drivers who will pilot the organization's "All-Star" entry throughout 2026.

2026 is the first year of Kaulig's new Truck Series program with RAM, which was officially announced in June 2025 and also serves as RAM's return to NASCAR for the first time since 2013.

"Ram, Stellantis, Dodge, they have a relationship with [Stewart] through his NHRA stuff," Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice explained in an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "We weren't really involved in much of those conversations. We were involved in them at the 11th hour to really get him over the top."

"That's a big deal for the sport." @KauligRacing CEO @C_Rice1 explained how @TonyStewart landed in a @Kaulig_Trucks ride for the season opener at Daytona.

More ➡️ : https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/2GXhr7OTCu
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) January 14, 2026

Tony Stewart's return is a "big deal" for NASCAR

The race will serve as Stewart's first Craftsman Truck Series start since 2005 and proof that RAM and Kaulig can attract superstars to their All-Star entry throughout the season. No other drivers for the No. 25 have been announced.

"I think with Tony coming back and showing that it's great to have RAM back in the sport, that's a big deal for the sport," Rice said. "That's a big deal for Kaulig Racing. That's a big deal for RAM. I'm pumped to spend some time with Tony... I'm excited about that."

Should he survive the Daytona chaos, Stewart will have the truck and experience under him to make a run at the checkered flag. During his career, Stewart won four Cup Series races and seven O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Daytona.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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