The final time Tony Stewart competed in NASCAR was in 2016, when he drove his No. 16 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet earlier than stepping away from full-time competitors. Since then, his consideration has been unfold throughout possession duties, the rise and fall of the SRX Collection, and a deep dive into drag racing, whereas additionally supporting his spouse’s profession and their private lives.
Nevertheless, Stewart’s lengthy absence from NASCAR equipment will lastly finish in 2026 when he returns to competitors. The three-time Cup champion is able to make his first begin within the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection in 20 years, driving the No. 25 RAM for Kaulig Racing at Daytona. In doing so, Stewart turns into the primary driver chosen underneath RAM’s newly launched Free Agent program.
Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice detailed how Stewart’s identify surfaced throughout the course of. In line with Rice, Tim and Matt Kaulig initially deliberate a three-truck effort earlier than deciding to scale as much as 5. That enlargement opened the door for a marquee return. As Rice defined, the thought of putting Stewart within the fifth truck gained momentum after behind-the-scenes conversations and regular persuasion introduced it to life.
“We weren’t actually concerned in a lot of these conversations. We have been concerned on the eleventh hour to get him excessive. I feel with Tony coming again and displaying that it’s nice to have RAM again into sport, that’s an enormous deal for the game. That’s an enormous deal for Kaulig Racing, that’s an enormous deal for RAM. I’m pumped to spend a while with Tony and discuss him about operating his personal program, the products & bads. So I’m enthusiastic about that.”
