Kaulig Racing CEO on how he tempted Tony Stewart – Sports News
Tony Stewart is returning to NASCAR for his first Truck Series race since 2005 (Image: Getty)
Kaulig Racing lately made one of the largest bulletins of the offseason when it revealed that three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, 54, would compete for the staff in it’s first ever Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona.
The race can be one to recollect for Kaulig as not solely will it have Stewart as one of its 5 drivers, however it’ll additionally mark the start of what it hopes can be a fruitful relationship with RAM, because the model competes within the collection for the primary time since 2016.
The Truck Series’ fourth OEM, RAM, can be working solely with Kaulig in 2026, and whereas three of its drivers can be full-time in Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, Daniel Dye, and Justin Haley, it has taken a novel strategy to its two remaining rides.
The No. 25 can be used for its “Free Agent Program,” permitting the staff to area a totally different headliner each week on a full-time foundation. Meanwhile, the No. 14’s driver has but to be introduced, however was determined through a soon-to-be-released actuality TV collection, “Race For The Seat,” with UFC CEO Dana White concerned within the show’s manufacturing.
In the meantime, the main target is on Stewart, who brings with him a legendary standing within the motorsports world, having additionally gained titles in IndyCar, IROC, and the NHRA, amongst others.
Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice mentioned Stewart’s involvement was largely because of Stellantis (Image: Getty)
”If you consider it, RAM, Stellantis (RAM and Dodge’s guardian company), Dodge, everyone, they’ve a relationship with [Stewart] via his NHRA stuff,” Kaulig CEO Chris Rice lately defined on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“Tim [Kuniskis] (Stellantis’ Head of American Brands, SRT Performance, NA Marketing and Retail Strategy) literally asked us about running a fifth truck. We started this with three trucks, and by the time we got to the end of it we were like, ‘Let’s do five trucks.’
“And Matt Kaulig and Tim and myself, we’re a lot alike, right? Like it’s like, ‘Hey, we can do anything as long as we put our mind to it.’ And so we did. And his mind was in this fifth truck was go get somebody like Tony Stewart to set it off and do things like that.”
Rice defined that almost all of “the legwork” on bringing Stewart in for the Fresh From Florida 250 was executed by Stellantis, noting how Kaulig’s involvement was surface-level and didn’t turn into more than that till “the eleventh hour.”
“I think with Tony coming back and showing that it’s great to have RAM back in the sport, that’s a big deal,” Rice added.
“Thats a big deal for the sport. That’s a big deal for Kaulig Racing. That’s a big deal for RAM. I’m pumped to spend some time with Tony and talk to him about him running his own program and the good and bad.”
Daytona will mark Stewart’s seventh ever Truck Series race, and his first since 2005, when he didn’t make the cut at Richmond Raceway with Kevin Harvick Inc. within the No. 92 Chevrolet. Barring this one-off failure to qualify, Stewart’s Truck Series report is spectacular with two wins, two additional high fives, and one other high 10.
Stay forward of the sport with the most recent developments within the sports activities world! Our web site is your final vacation spot for sports activities information, delivering complete updates, in-depth analyses, and professional insights into the fast-evolving realm of athletics. We convey you day by day protection on all the pieces from breakthrough coaching techniques and rising staff methods to main bulletins which are setting the tempo within the sports activities industry.
Discover how these trends are redefining the aggressive panorama! Visit us frequently for participating and informative content material by clicking right here. Our meticulously curated articles cowl game-changing techniques, investment alternatives in sports activities, and key milestones in at present’s dynamic athletic area.
