Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Fla.) — Tony Stewart signed up to compete in one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race in 2026: The season-opening Fresh From Florida 250 on Friday.
Could he sign up for more? Hey, who would have thought six months ago that 54-year-old Stewart would ever race in NASCAR again? Well, on little practice, Stewart jumped behind the wheel of the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram this week to give it a go.
The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion — whose last NASCAR race was in 2016 and last truck race was in 2005 — and current NHRA racer had his NASCAR return end with a wreck 39 laps into the 100-lap truck season opener on Daytona’s iconic 2.5-mile track.
“I didn’t think I was going to be here 10 years after I retired, so I think we have to learn to never say never,” Stewart told FOX Sports broadcaster Amanda Busick after being released from the infield care center. “It’s a great opportunity. … Just finally getting in a spot where I felt like I could start hustling and being in the mix there a little bit.
“Early on, it was just like kind of hang on. [I] knew we wanted to deal with it till we received a shot to make pit stops. So most likely wanted yet one more good swing at it to actually get to the place we might go, however we’re gaining on it. So not less than they’re constructing a pocket book now. The remainder of the fellows are on the market nonetheless digging, so that they’ll construct a superb pocket book for once we come again subsequent time.”
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We come again subsequent time?
He advised me and different reporters that he signed up for one race and that’s presently the plan. However he additionally seemed like a man who loved his race till Jake Garcia received unfastened and slid into him.
“I do not get an opportunity to combine it up wheel to wheel with anyone anymore on the drag race facet,” Stewart stated. “You do not need to be round anyone working 300 miles an hour.
“Nevertheless it was enjoyable to come back again right here. It’s enjoyable to look at the type these youngsters run. You possibly can inform the fellows that their vehicles felt good proper out of the gate, and so they had been aggressive. And I used to be like, ‘Man, I want I had the boldness to try this.’”
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Stewart stated he by no means received comfy being in any spot on the monitor.
“I knew [the truck] wasn’t going to have the ability to do the center of the three-wide deal,” Stewart stated. “I wasn’t comfy sufficient with that, and we weren’t tight sufficient to try this. However the swings we had been making — that was getting the steadiness lots nearer to the place we might do this.”
It virtually seemed like Stewart has unfinished enterprise. The day earlier than the race, he indicated he must do some convincing — he has a 15-month-old son with spouse and fellow drag racer Leah Pruett — if he needed to do extra races within the gaps of his full-time NHRA schedule.
“I’ve a spouse and a son who additionally like these gaps as effectively and would favor I not maintain reserving these gaps,” Stewart stated.
