Tony Stewart will make his much-anticipated return to NASCAR at Daytona, joining Kaulig Racing and driving the No. 25 truck in the Craftsman Truck Series season opener, marking Ram’s return to the series. This Tony Stewart NASCAR Daytona return is seen as a move aimed at energizing fans and reviving excitement for one of racing’s most significant weekends.
Stewart’s Return Fuels Hopes for NASCAR’s Rebound
The 2024 season opener will feature Tony Stewart piloting the rotating “Free Agent” entry, the Kaulig Racing No. 25, to kickstart Ram’s re-entry into the Truck Series. Stewart will team up with a robust lineup—Daniel Dye, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, Justin Haley, and “Race for the Seat” winner Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell—completing Kaulig’s ambitious five-truck field.
Kaulig Racing designed its program to capture attention, mixing full-time competitors with a rotating driver in the No. 25 and a seat earned through a reality competition. Stewart, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, expressed belief that his role will inject momentum into the sport when it needs it most, especially after recent setbacks and declining television viewership.
“I think it’s going to contribute a lot to NASCAR, and I think, as we all know right now, NASCAR needs all the help they can get right right this minute. And it’ll get back sorted out. It’s going to get healthy again. It’ll be fine. But, this is a good way to kind of help with that and kind of get the fans excited about Daytona again, and it’s a small part of it,” he told Peter Stratta. (4:14 onwards)
In the past year, NASCAR has wrestled with negative ratings and the fallout of a protracted antitrust lawsuit that unearthed unflattering internal messages involving executives, teams, and series rivals. Stewart, who retired from competitive NASCAR driving in 2015, had distanced himself from the organization, especially after Stewart-Haas Racing folded operations earlier in 2024. Now, as a returning figure in the spotlight, Stewart makes clear he wants to be a spark for a fresh chapter, not a force for rewriting the rules.
“I’m not going down there and reinventing the wheel for anybody, and the NASCAR fans. But, to know that starting the big weekend of the 500 with the truck race there, I think that’s going to bring a lot of excitement to it. And, I know, being down at Kaulig a couple months ago and doing my initial seat fit, that it was pretty exciting. Those guys were working their tails off getting they have had a lot of work to do in a short amount of time, and those guys are knocking it out of the park,” he continued.
Inside Kaulig Racing’s Diverse Truck Series Roster
Kaulig Racing’s approach differs from many teams in the series, offering a blend of seasoned competitors and newcomers. Daniel Dye, Justin Haley, and Brenden Queen are set for full campaigns, while Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell earned his shot by winning the “Race for the Seat” reality show. Stewart’s one-off entry in the No. 25 turns the spotlight on both established and emerging talent, as Ram works to maximize its return to NASCAR. The team’s dynamic structure is designed to capture interest and bring in new fans while celebrating veteran leadership and promising drivers alike.
The Road to Stewart’s Daytona Ride
Stewart revealed that his Daytona comeback took root at an event last year, unfolding unexpectedly during a conversation about his racing future. As a driver balancing a busy NHRA schedule, Stewart had not initially considered running a NASCAR Truck race, having last competed part-time in 2005 with two wins in just six career appearances.
“We were at Roadkill Nights last year and we were walking around and and you and I had the opportunity to sit down for a while and and you looked at me and said, ‘Hey, would would you ever be interested in going and running a truck race next year?’ And that’s literally how it started, honestly,” Stewart added in the interview. (0:27 onwards)
Despite his complex feelings about NASCAR in recent years, Stewart found the collaboration with Ram and Kaulig Racing alluring. After careful discussions with his wife, Leah Pruett, he chose to embark on this selective NASCAR return, motivated by the novelty and challenge it offered.
“I told her when we went back to the hotel that night, I said, “Yeah, I think it would be really cool to come do a one-off race and, get my feet wet again.””
Stewart enters Daytona while maintaining his focus on drag racing, competing in NHRA Top Fuel for Elite Motorsports, even as Leah Pruett readies to rejoin the Tony Stewart Racing dragster when the NHRA season resumes in March.
Fan Excitement Builds for Daytona’s Opening Weekend
NASCAR’s decision to feature Tony Stewart’s highly visible return at Daytona, alongside Kaulig Racing’s innovative team structure, aims to reignite public enthusiasm during a period of uncertainty for the series. With a vibrant roster and legacy names back in the mix, industry watchers are hopeful that the Daytona Truck Series race will set an upbeat tone for Speedweeks and the sport’s ongoing evolution. The next steps in NASCAR’s revitalization could well hinge on how Stewart, Kaulig Racing’s drivers, and the renewed partnership with Ram perform in the spotlight as fans descend on Daytona for a new season.
