On Friday night, Tony Stewart’s long-anticipated NASCAR return ended with a 36th-place finish at Daytona, after an early collision with ThorSport Racing‘s Jake Garcia forced him out of the race. Despite the result, Stewart highlighted the remarkable dedication of Kaulig Racing, emphasizing their extraordinary efforts to put together a competitive entry for his one-off appearance, marking a significant moment in his post-retirement racing chapter.
Kaulig Racing’s Determined Effort Behind Stewart’s Comeback
Though Stewart’s re-entry to NASCAR did not yield the finish he wanted, he expressed strong admiration for the commitment shown by Kaulig Racing throughout the process. His return to the Craftsman Truck Series marked his first NASCAR race since retiring from full-time Cup Series competition in 2016. Stewart underlined how Kaulig Racing advanced from humble beginnings ahead of the Daytona event, recalling the team’s innovation and perseverance as they prepared for their Truck Series debut.
“I thought the effort that Kaulig Racing made coming down here was unbelievable. 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 3-D printing body panels so they could go to the tunnel just to get a baseline of where they needed to be,”
Stewart said.
The team managed to field five competitive trucks for Daytona, reflecting what Stewart called a testament to Kaulig Racing’s drive to compete at the highest level. The dramatic context of building trucks from scratch, including quick-turn innovations like 3-D printed panels, underscored the challenge and the accomplishment of simply reaching the starting grid.
An Early Setback on the Track
Stewart’s #25 Kaulig Racing truck was forced to retire following a crash with Jake Garcia’s #98 entry on the 36th lap of the Friday race. The incident, which effectively ended his night, was a frustrating twist after Stewart had begun acclimating to his new surroundings on the superspeedway. While adapting to the field, Stewart kept a measured approach, staying patient and letting the frenetic early laps play out among his competitors.
“Beginning of the race, we were behind [Travis] Pastrana and we were just kinda content to be on the bottom until we got a couple of laps in and kinda let everybody settle in, but it didn’t seem like anybody was in the mood to be very patient or cautious. Guys that were aggressive, you could tell they were confident with their trucks,”
Stewart said.
The intensity of the field at Daytona was apparent, with aggressive moves leading to several incidents. As Stewart noted, the confidence among other drivers contributed to challenging conditions. Ultimately, Stewart’s night concluded far earlier than planned, while Chandler Smith went on to capture the event in a dramatic four-wide finish at the line, earning his first Daytona victory and the eighth win in the Truck Series.
Looking Ahead: Stewart Leaves the Door Open
Although this outing was billed as a one-time return, Tony Stewart hinted at the unpredictability of the future regarding his NASCAR involvement. Having raced full-time from 1999 through 2016, collecting three Cup Series championships and 49 Cup wins before his 2019 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Stewart acknowledged the magnetic pull of the track and the opportunities that sometimes arise when least expected.
“I didn’t think I was going to be here 10 years after I retired, so I think we have to learn to never say never. It’s a great opportunity. … Just finally getting in a spot where I felt like I could start hustling and being in the mix there a little bit,”
Stewart said via FOX Sports.
Though he has confirmed he will not compete in 2026, Stewart’s remarks leave open the possibility for further returns down the road, suggesting that his competitive spirit and the right circumstances could yet see him back in a NASCAR vehicle. As the sport continues to evolve, Stewart’s brief comeback highlighted both the challenges and excitement surrounding a champion’s return to the grid, while Kaulig Racing’s innovation and commitment drew praise despite the dramatic outcome at Daytona.
“TJ Bell (spotter) We watched video. None of it was as aggressive as it seemed to be tonight”@TonyStewart’s return to #NASCAR racing ends early after a crash on lap 37. Said he signed up for a one-off and it’ll stay a one-off, but had a fun experience #FreshFromFlorida250 pic.twitter.com/Wh97hnMpOM
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) February 14, 2026
