DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Nearly seven years after stepping away from NASCAR, Tony Stewart is returning to the sport as a driver for the first time since November 2016. The NASCAR Hall of Famer will pilot the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram in Friday night’s Fresh From Florida 250, the opening race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway. This surprise comeback is generating excitement among fans eager to witness the three-time Cup Series champion back on the track.
Coming into this race, Stewart brings a celebrated history with 62 NASCAR national series victories, but he had fully believed his days as a top-tier stock-car driver were done—until now.
The Personality and Preparation Behind Stewart’s Return
At 54 years old, Stewart’s return to Daytona marks a significant chapter in his evolving career. Known for his sarcastic wit and trademark smirk, Stewart displayed familiar bravado during a Thursday press conference. Joking about his preparation, he quipped,
“I just followed (the Kaulig Cup haulers) till about an hour north of here, so I got some drafting practice in.”
The humor and candidness that endeared him to fans remain, even as he navigates a new phase of his life as a father to his 1-year-old son, Dominic, and a current Top Fuel drag racer in NHRA.
Stewart is no longer a NASCAR team owner and has largely distanced himself from the Daytona 500, a race he has never won despite 17 attempts. Yet, the chance to race for Ram, marking the brand’s comeback in NASCAR through its partnership with Dodge and Stellantis, was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“It is a neat and unique opportunity to do this with Ram and through our partnership with Dodge and Stellantis,”
Stewart explained.
“Tim Kuniskis (Stellantis CEO) literally asked me last year if I would be interested in running a truck race. And, you know, kind of sounds fun. I didn’t think I would hear much more out of him from it, but got another phone call, and that was the one that I knew was the confirmation that, yep, we’re going to be driving a truck race somewhere, and here we are.”
Adjusting to the Truck Series and Racing Dynamics
Stewart’s return is met with both enthusiasm and realism. Acknowledging the potential for mistakes on the track, Stewart shared how his experience will not shield him from the challenges of racing after years away.
“The reality of it is, too, I could be somebody that makes a mistake in it,”
Stewart admitted.
“I got the same opportunity as all those other guys that haven’t been here as much as I have to make the same mistake that they may or may not make. So I’ve got to do my part too. It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to do something wrong out there. But nobody does anything intentionally out there to cause problems. It’s just trial and error, and that’s how you learn from your mistakes and that’s how you become a better race-car driver.”
With only a 50-minute practice on Thursday to prepare on the 2.5-mile superspeedway, Stewart turned to virtual training to sharpen his skills. He has been using the iRacing simulator extensively to simulate the high-speed, pack-racing conditions he will face at Daytona.
“About a month and a half off and on of iRacing. Literally,”
Stewart revealed.
He credits his group of iRacing friends spread from Pennsylvania to Seattle for their support in helping him get valuable laps in preparation for the race.
“And then when the announcement came out and I could actually tell them that I was doing a truck race, then they were like, ‘now we know why you kept asking for more.’ And literally, I have to give my group of iRacing guys – I mean, they’re all the way from Pennsylvania across to out by Seattle, Washington. We got a big group of guys. I’ve got to thank those guys, because they literally, from the moment we announced we were doing that, they were all in on truck races at Daytona. And that’s not what we normally do on a night, but they were all in on doing anything they could do to help us just get laps.”
Building Team Communication and Race Strategy
Stewart has also worked closely with his spotter, TJ Bell, training to build effective communication and understanding in the intense environment of Daytona’s superspeedway racing. Reviewing footage from last year’s Truck Series race allowed them to compare the simulator experience with real-life conditions, honing their strategy and race calls.
“I can say that TJ and I were at the motorhome last night. We were going over video of last year’s race,”
Stewart said.
“There were some aspects that we saw that I had picked up on the iRacing side that I’m like, ‘I don’t know if it’s really going to translate or not.’ And more so than I really even thought, we were seeing that in aspects of the race yesterday.”
Returning to the NASCAR Community and Rekindling Old Connections
Though this NASCAR comeback is designed as a one-time event focused on racing and rejuvenating the Ram brand’s presence, Stewart has spent time reconnecting with long-time friends and former rivals during Speedweeks. His visits to the Cup Series garage included interactions with fellow drivers like Alex Bowman and Justin Allgaier, as well as catching up with peers in the media center.
“Some of them, the number one question is, have you lost your mind?”
Stewart laughed.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, I have’, as you know. But it’s been fun. It’s just been fun to see those guys before everything (got) really busy yesterday. I mean, it was nice to just spend time and chat and catch up with guys, and I think that’s part of what’s going to make this probably the most special part of the week is just catching up with everybody.”
The Significance of Stewart’s Return to NASCAR
Tony Stewart’s return to NASCAR at Daytona is more than a nostalgic event; it symbolizes a rare opportunity to see a Hall of Famer race once again at one of the sport’s most iconic venues. For Ram, Dodge, and Stellantis, it represents an energetic re-entry into NASCAR’s competitive landscape.
While Stewart himself has been clear that this is not a full-time comeback, his presence on the track Friday night injects excitement and anticipation into the season’s start. His experience and candid approach serve as a reminder of his lasting impact on NASCAR, making this brief return highly anticipated by fans, media, and fellow competitors alike. How Stewart fares in the race—the culmination of simulation practice, decades of skill, and a bit of in-the-moment intuition—will be closely watched as he attempts to balance the intensity of competition with the enjoyment of simply being back behind the wheel.
