For the first time in a decade, Tony Stewart will be back in the driver’s seat at Daytona.
The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, who left the series after the 2016 season, has agreed to take the wheel of Kaulig Racing’s No. 25 Ram Trucks entry in the Craftsman Truck Series opener on Feb. 13 at Daytona International Speedway.
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Stewart, the NASCAR Hall of Famer who won the 2025 Top Fuel regular-season championship driving for Dodge in NHRA drag racing, will switch gears − so to speak − as part of Kaulig’s new Free Agent Driver Program.
“I’ve raced just about everything with four wheels at Daytona, but never a truck. So when a seat in the new Ram was offered up for their first race back in NASCAR, I didn’t hesitate,” Stewart said in a team release.
Although he never won the Daytona 500, Stewart has had a number of memorable moments at the legendary trioval, including four Cup wins, seven O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories, three exhibition Clash wins and three Duel at Daytona qualifying races for the 500.
“Ram’s Free Agent program is another great way for me to stay sharp and have a little fun,” Stewart, 54, said.
Stewart has a pair of Truck Series wins in his career, both of them coming at Richmond in 2002 and 2003.
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One of NASCAR’s most charismatic personalities, Stewart won three Cup championships as a driver in 2002, 2005 and 2011 − and another one as a team owner for Kevin Harvick’s 2014 title. Before moving to NASCAR full-time, he won the 1997 IndyCar season championship.
“This is about honoring a legacy,” said Tim Kuniskis, an executive at Ram’s parent company, Stellantis. “Tony represents grit, determination, and the spirit of racing − pure adrenaline for the fans.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tony Stewart returns to Daytona to drive in NASCAR Truck Series race
