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Three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart is returning to NASCAR … for one night.
The 54-year-old Stewart, who drives a Dodge-powered top-fuel dragster in the National Hot Road Association, will compete in the season-opening truck race at Daytona International Speedway as part of Dodge sister company Ram’s entry into the sport.
Both Dodge and Ram are owned by Stellantis.
Stewart will drive the Kaulig Racing No. 25 truck, which will have several drivers in the seat this year as part of a Ram program to create storylines for each race.
Stewart has not competed in NASCAR since his final Cup season in 2016 and has not raced a truck since 2005.
So why Daytona? Well, Stewart has 19 wins across a variety of series at the track.
“I’ve raced just about everything with four wheels at Daytona but never a truck,” Stewart said. “So when a seat in the new Ram was offered up for their first race back in NASCAR, I didn’t hesitate.
“Ram’s Free Agent program is another great way for me to stay sharp and have a little fun.”
Kaulig Racing is the lone Ram program with five trucks in its inaugural season. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis has not been shy in saying he hopes Dodge enters Cup in 2027 or 2028. Dodge last competed in the series in 2012.
“We’re not just returning to the track; we’re rewriting the playbook,” Kuniskis said. “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.
“This is about honoring a legacy. Tony represents grit, determination, and the spirit of racing – pure adrenaline for the fans.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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