The NASCAR news of Tony Stewart coming back to Daytona is the kind of headline that makes fans do a double-take. A three-time Cup champion, team owner, and one of the sport’s fiercest competitors, Stewart’s return to national-series competition after nearly a decade instantly raises the stakes for the 2026 Truck Series opener. Daytona has always been about spectacle, unpredictability, and big personalities, and Stewart checks every box.
But as exciting as his comeback is, he won’t be the only larger-than-life figure drawing attention under the lights. Lurking in the same field is another adrenaline junkie, a crowd favorite known more for fearless stunts than stock cars, setting up an unexpected showdown that blends NASCAR grit with daredevil flair.
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Exciting NASCAR news: Travis Pastrana’s Daytona comeback
It was announced on Tuesday that the 42-year-old Travis Pastrana will take part in the 2026 Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports. BRUNT Workwear will back the effort as Pastrana’s primary sponsor. He finished 13th in the 2023 Truck Series race at Daytona with the same team, which remains his best showing yet at NASCAR’s third level.
“I’m excited to get back on the track in Daytona with BRUNT Workwear and Niece Motorsports,” said Pastrana. “This is my first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race since 2023, so it will be fun to get behind the wheel again and see what we can do.”
As you may know, if there’s one driver who doesn’t shy away from risk, it’s Pastrana. The Maryland native has built an almost mythical résumé away from stock cars. 11 X Games gold medals, a four-time Rally America championship, an AMA Motocross 125cc national title, and even a headline-grabbing jump out of a plane without a parachute. Across bikes, rally cars, and everything in between, Pastrana has made a career out of doing what others wouldn’t dare attempt.
That fearless approach has also defined his NASCAR journey. Pastrana made 42 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, running the full season in 2013. Along the way, he grabbed a pole position at Talladega and recorded his best finish with a ninth-place run at Richmond, proving he could adapt to the demands of stock car racing.
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His NASCAR résumé also includes six Craftsman Truck Series starts and one unforgettable Cup Series appearance in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 in 2023. Driving the No. 67 entry for 23XI Racing, Pastrana qualified as an open car, ran inside the top ten on the final lap, and despite a late crash still muscled the damaged machine home to an impressive 11th-place finish. Just Pastrana being Pastrana.
Since then, Pastrana has been absent from the NASCAR grid. However, his return to Daytona signals that one of motorsports’ most fearless personalities isn’t done chasing high-speed challenges just yet.
Another Superspeedway ace joins Niece Motorsports’ Daytona push
Niece Motorsports’ Daytona plans just got even more intriguing. Alongside Travis Pastrana’s much-talked-about return, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is set to make his long-awaited NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at the World Center of Racing.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will climb into the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports when the Truck Series opens its 2026 season at Daytona International Speedway. Despite racing in NASCAR’s national ranks since 2009, the two-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion has never started a Truck Series event.
This makes this a genuine first chapter for a driver already synonymous with restrictor-plate success. The Mississippi native won the 2023 Daytona 500 and will contest the opening two Truck races of the season for Niece, driving the No. 45 J.F. Electric Chevrolet at both Daytona and EchoPark Speedway.
“I’ve always wanted to run a truck, but never had the opportunity to put something together,” Stenhouse Jr. said in a release. “With it being at Daytona, obviously winning the 500 was awesome, and I’d love to win a Truck Series race there, too. I’ve always wanted to race a truck, but I wanted it to be competitive — and this checks all of those boxes.”
From Niece Motorsports’ perspective, the fit was an easy call. Team owner Al Niece and general manager Cody Efaw see Stenhouse’s superspeedway instincts as a major asset in the unpredictable Daytona draft.
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“We are all very excited to welcome Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to our team for his first time racing in the Truck Series,” Efaw said. “I’ve known Ricky for several years now dating back to our time at Roush (now RFK Racing), and he’s always been a natural on superspeedways.”
With Pastrana’s daredevil flair and Stenhouse’s drafting mastery, Niece Motorsports is stacking its Daytona lineup with proven risk-takers. The Fresh from Florida 250 will kick off the 2026 Truck Series season on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m. ET, setting the stage for a must-watch night under the lights
The post America’s Favorite Daredevil Set to Challenge Tony Stewart at NASCAR’s Daytona Race appeared first on EssentiallySports.
