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Posted on 01/13/2026 9:05:54 AM PST by WhiteHatBobby0701
NASCAR fans, get ready. Tony Stewart, three-time Cup Series champion and motorsports icon, is officially returning to the NASCAR stage at Daytona in 2026. Stewart will team up with Ram Truck and Kaulig Racing as the first competitor in Ram’s groundbreaking Free Agent program within the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
Stewart, known to fans as “Smoke,” last competed in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2005 and in the Cup Series in 2016 before shifting his focus to NHRA drag racing with Dodge. His return marks a monumental moment for the sport, blending Stewart’s legendary competitive spirit with Ram’s bold re-entry into NASCAR.
“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,” said Stewart, a 19-time winner at Daytona across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and IROC. “Ram’s Free Agent program is another great way for me to stay sharp and have a little fun.”
The Free Agent program is designed to bring legendary drivers and rising stars into the spotlight, giving fans a unique mix of experience and fresh talent behind the wheel of Ram trucks.
“We’re not just returning to the track; we’re rewriting the playbook. Bringing Tony in as the first Free Agent will generate a crazy amount of excitement, which is exactly why we created the program, allowing fans to watch an all-time favorite driver get back into the seat, but this time, it’s a Ram truck,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance, North America marketing and retail strategy, Stellantis. “This is about honoring a legacy. Tony represents grit, determination and the spirit of racing—pure adrenaline for the fans.”
Ram will field five trucks in the 2026 season with Kaulig Racing, signaling a major investment in NASCAR. Stewart’s involvement and the Free Agent Program underscore Ram’s innovative approach on and off the track.
"Having Tony Stewart in one of our Ram trucks is the kind of thing you dream about,” said Matt Kaulig, founder and owner of Kaulig Racing. “He’s a legend—his name alone brings energy to the sport. We couldn’t be more fired up to have him in our camp as we roll into Daytona for our first race. This is going to be a ride worth watching."
In addition to his NASCAR and drag racing success, Stewart is the first and only driver to win all three USAC National championships (Midget, Sprint, Silver Crown) in one year (1995). He also took an Indycar championship in 1997. Stewart’s career is celebrated as a member of the NASCAR (2020) and National Sprint Car (2022) Halls of Fame.
Fans can expect exclusive behind-the-scenes content, new Ram Truck announcements and immersive race-day experiences as part of this historic collaboration at Daytona in February.
The Kaulig Racing lineup has one more spot for Daytona:
Brenden “Butterbean” Queen Daniel Dye Justin Haley Tony Stewart (Free Agent) Race for the Seat
Kaulig Racing Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by award-winning entrepreneur Matt Kaulig. The organization fields two Cup cars and serves as the anchor factory team for Ram's highly anticipated return to NASCAR in 2026, when Kaulig Racing will field five full-time Ram 1500 trucks. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing competed in over 700 NASCAR Xfinity Series (2016-2025) races, earning two regular-season championships and posting 27 victories. In 2021, the team began competing part-time in the Cup Series races before expanding to a two-car, full-time team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first Cup Series start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
Ram Brand Ram offers a full lineup of pickups and commercial vehicles: light-duty Ram 1500, heavy-duty 2500/3500, 3500/4500/5500 chassis cab and ProMaster vans.
Ram light-duty and heavy-duty pickups offer products in the fastest growing segments within the pickup space, off-road and customized. Ram has introduced the largest variety of off-road performance trucks the brand has ever offered, including the new Ram 1500 SRT TRX with more horsepower per dollar than any other performance off-road pickup.
In the commercial business, Ram offers the chassis cab line with features to help customers and upfitters. Ram Professional is making considerable changes in process, execution and resources with a focus on commercial offerings, dedicated B2B-focused expertise, and sales and service support, which are critical to growing in this segment.
Ram continues to outperform the competition, setting the benchmark in the most important areas for truck buyers:
Segment first: 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins turbo diesel Most luxurious: Ram 1500 Tungsten with air suspension, 24-way massage seats and 540 horsepower Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty: Best ride and handling with five-link solid rear axle with available, segment-exclusive, active-level air suspension Ram 1500 SRT TRX: Best off-road performance per dollar and the most powerful, production, street-legal, gas, half-ton pickup ever Ram ProMaster: The most cargo space available in any traditional full-size cargo van Ram Power Wagon: Most off-road-capable full-size pickup
Ram is improving market competitiveness and growth while maintaining pricing power through products, services and electrified offerings. Aligned under the global presence of the Stellantis Pro One commercial vehicle organization, Ram currently offers a wide range of products globally, from the Ram 700 compact pickup to the Ram 5500 Chassis Cab and a range of ProMaster vans.
Ram is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.
Follow Ram and company news and video on: Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com Ram Truck brand: ramtrucks.com Facebook: facebook.com/RamTrucks Instagram: @ramtrucks X: @RamTrucks, @StellantisNA YouTube: youtube.com/RamTrucks, youtube.com/StellantisNA
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Oh, sh*t. How many people is he going to be allowed to kill?
You are joking right?
Surely you didn’t really see that incident that way.
And don't call me Shirley.
Did I hear one report that NACAR is doing away with stages in the races? IMO, that would be a good thing.
That incident was caused by a driver high on marijuana at a track without drug testing. It led to a 2017 rule by World Racing Group (which the track was using for some races) to impose mandatory drug testing.
Marijuana is a prohibited substance under the WADA and FIA codes. And it’s now a prohibited substance under Drug Free Sport, which is responsible for most dirt sanctioning drug tests.
Sounds like that court trial cam to the right decision. Small teams won.
No, likely keeping the stages. This will mean 110 races in the NASCAR Cup Series — 36 features and 74 sprints. Stages 1 and 2, plus the Duel (Daytona) and 3 at Charlotte oval, will be treated as “sprint” races, 10-1 for each. No points for outside top ten in the sprint races. The “feature” race is at the end of the second (or in the case of Charlotte oval, third) stage.
The points system is now changed where a perfect score is 75 points — 55 for the win and 20 for the stages, except at the two races where it is 85 points.
Having two sprints and a feature is deceptive but NASCAR could change the stages in some races to ensure a longer feature but two shorter sprint races to ensure the 10-to-win races are closer to each other. Supercars, for example, in a three-race weekend ensures the two shorter races are of a similar length before the feature is the longest race. All weekends in that series pay 300 points for the winner, but winner’s points can be split if different drivers win.
Thanks for the explanation!!🙂
One of the greatest race car drivers ever. USAC had to invent a new award (the “triple crown”) in 1995 when he won the championship in silver crown, sprint car, and midget car all in the same season. Only one other driver has done that. J. J. Yeley in 2003. Tony was the car owner for his Silver Crown car and Sprint car that year.
Here are examples in my view:
200 lap races (Daytona 500, Michigan, and we’ll move Pocono back to 500 miles); Races 1 and 2 are 50 laps, Race 3 is 100 laps.
EchoPark: Back to 500 miles. Races 1 and 2 are 70 laps, Race 3 is 185 laps.
Austin: Back to main course (not National), 15, 15, 43 for 400km.
Darlington: Spring races are 75 laps each stage, then 143 laps for the feature. Fall race is 90 laps each stage, then the feature will be 187 laps.
Bristol and Martinsville is easy - 125/125/250
Talladega: 45, 45, 98
400-mile 1.5 miles: 55/55/157
Indianapolis: 30, 30, 100 (ensures drivers don’t make a pit stop at the end of the sprints)
Watkins Glen (main course, not 1971 six hours): 15, 15, 44
Sonoma (full course): 25, 25, 50 — 400km. (All road courses are 400km races)
North Wilkesboro — 100, 100, 250
Reading the headline, I thought NASCAR had rightfully returned the Winston Cup name.
hmmm... I was kinda hoping for some Leah Pruett pics.
Now THAT was his biggest victory...
Got to see Tony Stewart fly into Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 after finishing the Indy 500. He got up to second before the exhaustion hit. Amazing day.
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