For the first time since 2005, 54-year-old Tony Stewart will take the green flag in a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race in Friday night’s Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The start will be Stewart’s first in a NASCAR national series since the NASCAR Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2016. Since then, the driver of the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram has earned admission into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and embarked on a successful career as a top fuel drag racer.
The truck Stewart will drive is new to the series. Kaulig will field five Ram trucks in the brand’s first NASCAR competition since 2012. Other Kaulig drivers include Justin Haley, Daniel Dye, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen and Mini Tyrrell, who earned his ride in the No. 14 Ram through Kaulig’s Race for the Seat competition.
“This is Ram’s coming-out party,” Stewart said Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. “So, what better way to support Ram and Dodge and (parent company) Stellantis and to do it in the biggest showcase of the year in the first race at Daytona?
“…It’s fun to do it with a group I’ve never worked with before. It’s fun to do it with a brand I’m passionate about at a track that we’ve had some success at. All in all, it’s nice to be back.”
Last year’s dominant driver and series champion Corey Heim has moved on from the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota after winning a series-record 12 of 25 races in 2025. That leaves an enormous void that such drivers as Kaden Honeycutt (Heim’s successor in the No. 11), Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith of Front Row Motorsports and the Kaulig contingent will be eager to fill.
— NASCAR —