Tony Stewart’s highly anticipated NASCAR Daytona return in the Craftsman Truck Series was cut short Friday night after a collision in the Fresh From Florida 250, dashing hopes of a complete race for the veteran driver at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart, at 54, was making his first NASCAR national series start since 2016, aiming to rejoin the stock car pack for Kaulig Racing in a landmark night for both driver and organization.
An Unexpected End to a Storied Comeback
Stewart’s bid for a full race run came to a halt on Lap 36 out of 100, when Jake Garcia’s No. 98 Ford lost control exiting Turn 4. Garcia slid directly into Stewart’s No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram, forcing the NASCAR Hall of Famer into the outside wall. The impact inflicted severe damage on both sides of Stewart’s truck, including its suspension, ultimately forcing his retirement from the night’s race. Despite additional attempts to fine-tune his Ram for improved stability in the draft, Stewart never got the opportunity to make a charge to the front of the field.
Stewart Reflects on His Racing Experience
Though disappointed by the early exit, Stewart expressed appreciation for his time on track. After being checked at the infield care center and cleared, Stewart said,
“It was fun to come back here,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver. He continued to reflect on the changing face of the sport, noting,
“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.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
Ram and Kaulig Racing’s Ambitious Effort
Stewart’s return marked a significant moment for Ram, as the manufacturer partnered with Kaulig Racing to field five trucks in NASCAR for the first time since 2012. The project demanded rapid work in the shop to get the trucks Daytona-ready. Stewart lauded the Kaulig team,
“I thought the effort that Kaulig Racing made coming down here was unbelievable,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver. Detailing their preparation challenges, he recalled,
“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.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
Early Struggles and Seeking the Right Setup
The opening laps presented immediate handling difficulties for Stewart. He reported an extremely loose truck from the start, narrowly avoiding a spin on Lap 2. The crew adjusted tire pressures and the track bar during the initial pit stop, but those efforts didn’t provide the stability Stewart sought. On the team’s next stop, a wedge adjustment finally gave him a better sense of control, allowing him to run among the pack without concern for his own safety.
“We probably needed that much of an adjustment again,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver. He added,
“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.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
Reflecting on the accident, Stewart was uncertain about the sequence of events, stating,
“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.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
Enjoyment on Track Despite Challenges
Although Stewart’s time on track was limited, he conveyed a sense of enjoyment and competitive drive that persists in his racing career. Broadcasting his enthusiasm over the team radio midway through the event, Stewart declared,
“This is way more fun than what we did [Thursday], I will admit that.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver. He also admired the efforts of his teammate Justin Haley, who was able to advance through the field and experiment with his own truck’s handling. Stewart remarked,
“It’s always fun when you can actually do what you want to do as a driver behind the wheel,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver, continuing with,
“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.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
What Comes Next for Stewart and the Team
With this one-off NASCAR start behind him, Stewart will shift his focus back to NHRA competition for the rest of the year, aiming for more success following his impressive Rookie of the Year honor and a regular-season championship. There remains the question of whether fans will see another Tony Stewart NASCAR Daytona return. Following the race, crew chief Alex Yontz radioed,
“Hopefully you might wanna do this again sometime.”
— Alex Yontz, Crew Chief, to which Stewart responded,
“Yeah, I’d say there’s a pretty good shot of that,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver. At the care center, he clarified,
“I mean, I signed up for a one-off,”
— Tony Stewart, Driver,
“That’s where we’re at so far.”
— Tony Stewart, Driver.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series continues its season at EchoPark Speedway on February 21, while both Tony Stewart and the Kaulig Racing organization reflect on a dramatic, if brief, homecoming at Daytona. Stewart’s willingness to consider another future attempt leaves the door open for another memorable run, adding continued intrigue to the series and maintaining his enduring connection to stock car racing.
