Charlotte, N.C.- A racing icon is poised for a thrilling return to NASCAR competition. Tony Stewart, the celebrated three-time champion, will participate in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway next month, marking his first venture back into the sport as 2016. He will be racing for Kaulig Racing in the debut event featuring the Ram Truck.
Interestingly, Stewart’s last truck race at the national level occurred in 2005, and he currently competes in NHRA drag racing with Dodge. The prospect to collaborate with Kaulig racing and facilitate Ram trucks’ return to NASCAR presented an ideal scenario for his reentry.
“Daytona has always held a special place in my racing career,and I’ve experienced it in nearly every type of vehicle imaginable - except a truck,” Stewart remarked on tuesday. “When the chance came to pilot the new Ram in their anticipated return to NASCAR, I eagerly accepted the challenge.”
Stewart’s participation is central to Ram’s novel “free agent program,” designed to spotlight both established drivers and emerging talents. Ram intends to field five trucks throughout the 2026 season. Full-time drivers will include Brenden ”Butterbean” Queen, Daniel dye, and Justin Haley. Simultaneously, the program introduces the “free agent” seat-held by Stewart-and a unique competition, “Race For The Seat,” which will unfold as a reality show to determine the fourth full-time driver.
“This isn’t merely a return to the track; it’s a complete reimagining of our approach,” stated Tim Kuniskis, head of American brands at Stellantis.”Welcoming Tony as our inaugural Free Agent is calculated to ignite excitement, and that’s precisely what we aimed for when we created this program. It’s a chance for fans to witness a beloved legend back behind the wheel, now in a Ram truck.”
Widely regarded as a racing phenomenon, Stewart stands alone as the first driver to secure all three USAC National championships - Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown – within a single year in 1995. He further added to his accolades with an IndyCar championship in 1997 and three NASCAR championships in 2005, 2008, and 2011.
throughout his career, Stewart has participated in six Truck series races, achieving two victories, his most recent one dating back to 2003.
