Tony Stewart. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Tony Stewart set to make first NASCAR start in nearly a decade at Daytona

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 11:08 AM ET

For the first time in nearly 10 years, Tony Stewart will be back behind the wheel of a NASCAR vehicle at Daytona International Speedway in February.

The three-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer will drive the No. 25 RAM in the Feb. 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener at Daytona for Kaulig Racing, which is set to debut its new five-truck RAM Truck Series program at Daytona.

The start will be Stewart's first in NASCAR since the 2016 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and his first Truck Series start since 2005. In six Truck Series races, Stewart has two wins, four top-fives, five top-10s and an average finish of 8.3.

Why Tony Stewart is an excellent choice

The 54-year-old Stewart will be the first of many different drivers to pilot the No. 25 truck in 2026. But bringing in a veteran driver who knows the ins and outs of the sport for Kaulig's Truck Series debut certainly isn't a bad move.

Welcome to The Smoke Show. ️@TonyStewart returns to @NASCAR with @KauligRacing and @RamTrucks! pic.twitter.com/vnxtcluWV6
— Kaulig Trucks (@Kaulig_Trucks) January 13, 2026

There's also not many drivers in NASCAR history who have been better at Daytona than Stewart. While he never won the Daytona 500, he won four Cup Series summer races at the 2.5-mile track. In 14 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Daytona, he won seven times and had 10 top-10 finishes.

If Stewart can survive the inevitable Daytona carnage and work his way to the front of the field late, don't be surprised if fans are treated to a little bit of vintage driving from "Smoke" in his NASCAR return.

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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