Tony Stewart’s long-awaited NASCAR return was abruptly halted during Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener at Daytona International Speedway due to a crash on Lap 36 of the Fresh From Florida 250. Jake Garcia’s No. 98 Ford lost control exiting Turn 4, colliding with Stewart’s No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram and forcing the NASCAR Hall of Famer into the wall, ending his run prematurely.
The 54-year-old Stewart had not raced in NASCAR since November 2016 in the Cup Series finale, with his last Truck Series start dating back to June 2005 at Dover Motor Speedway. Although Stewart did not mount a serious challenge near the front and needed multiple adjustments to settle his truck in the draft, he showed enthusiasm during his brief time back on the track.
Stewart’s Impressions of the Current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Landscape
Despite the early exit, Stewart expressed his enjoyment of the event and the driving style of today’s competitors. After evaluation and treatment at the infield care center, Stewart reflected on the pace and aggression on display.
“It was fun to come back here,”
he said.
“It’s fun to watch the style these kids run. I mean, you could tell the guys that their trucks felt good right out of the gate, and they were aggressive. And it’s like, man, I wish I had the confidence to do that. But it was getting more fun when the balance was getting closer to where we needed it to be.”
Kaulig Racing and Ram’s Ambitious NASCAR Return
Stewart’s comeback coincided with Ram’s manufacturer comeback in NASCAR after a decade-long absence, partnering with Kaulig Racing to field a five-truck effort. Stewart, who formerly owned Stewart-Haas Racing and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series teams, praised Kaulig’s rapid progress in getting their trucks race-ready. He recalled how the team had to 3D print body panels just to conduct wind tunnel testing before the race weekend, highlighting the steep challenge of launching a Truck Series program from scratch.
“I thought the effort that Kaulig Racing made coming down here was unbelievable,”
Stewart said.
“I mean, I remember when we did the first seat fit, they didn’t even have body panels to put on the truck, and they were 3D printing body panels so they could go to the (wind) tunnel just to get a baseline of where they needed to be. So to see where they went in such a short amount of time and get five competitive trucks down here … We weren’t out to lunch by any means. But when they’ve never had a truck in the Truck Series, you’re going to go through a night like tonight where you’re going to have to make some big swings to get the balance.”
Challenges During the Race and Stewart’s In-Race Adjustments
Stewart’s return began with a truck that felt loose, nearly spinning on Lap 2. Initial adjustments on air pressure and track bar during the first pit stop did not improve the handling, but a wedge adjustment on the second stop helped him regain some control, allowing him to comfortably run three-wide without excessive risk.
“We probably needed that much of an adjustment again,”
Stewart commented.
“At least that time, with that, I could kind of tug on the wheel a little more and feel like I had more control on my truck and felt like I could get up in the mix without feeling too worried about it. I knew we needed to make another adjustment so I wasn’t trying to get carried away and get crazy. But felt comfortable being three-wide on the top there. Didn’t feel like we were putting ourselves in jeopardy.”
Regarding the crash, Stewart admitted uncertainty:
“The hard thing is I’m not really sure what happened that got us there, but we just ended up on the wrong end of that stick.”
Enjoyment and Observations From Stewart’s Brief Return
Throughout the race, Stewart’s enthusiasm was evident, highlighted by a mid-race radio comment:
“This is way more fun than what we did [Thursday], I will admit that.”
He also praised teammate Justin Haley’s ability to navigate the pack effectively and gather valuable information for the team.
“It’s always fun when you can actually do what you want to do as a driver behind the wheel,”
Stewart said after the race.
“And you know, we definitely were gaining. I mean, you think about it, Kaulig doesn’t have any notes for a truck here. Justin does a really good job of – I would watch him and watch him make some moves, and then he would kind of cycle himself back, and he’s just trying to see what he could get away with. I never even got to the part where I felt like I could hustle it that hard.”
Future Prospects for Stewart and Kaulig Racing
Stewart will continue competing in NHRA Top Fuel dragsters this year after securing Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and earning the regular-season title in 2025. However, the possibility of another NASCAR return remains open. After the crash ended the Daytona run, crew chief Alex Yontz suggested over the radio,
“Hopefully you might wanna do this again sometime.”
Stewart responded,
“Yeah, I’d say there’s a pretty good shot of that,”
though he also acknowledged his original plan was a one-off event.
“I mean, I signed up for a one-off. That’s where we’re at so far.”
Looking Ahead in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will continue with its next race on Saturday, February 21, at EchoPark Speedway, airing live on FS1, NRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Stewart’s brief comeback, despite its early end, injected energy into the season opener and highlighted the challenges and excitement involved in restarting a racing career at the top level after a lengthy hiatus.
