More than seven months after making his last NASCAR appearance, three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is set to make his return. A hilarious skit featuring a back-and-forth between Stewart and Tim Kuniskis set the stage for the major announcement made by Kaulig Racing on Thursday.
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In a video posted by Kaulig Trucks on X, Kuniskis repeatedly asked Stewart if he would drive for the team at Talladega, only for the NASCAR legend to turn him down each time. Stewart was fully suited up and holding a helmet as Kuniskis told him he was “holding the seat for him”. Stewart acknowledged and appreciated the offer but, as part of the script, continued to refuse.
That’s when Kuniskis struck a nerve, calling Stewart too old to drive anyway. The 55-year-old responded with a “f*** you” before playfully pushing the former Dodge CEO away with his helmet.
“First time in the history of corporate America that I ever told a sponsor f*** you,” Stewart joked in the video.
With that, the skit came to an end. Kaulig cut over to a graphic revealing that Stewart would be racing in Talladega on October 23rd, driving the No. 25 Ram 1500 in the Craftsman Truck Series. This appearance marks Stewart’s second Truck Series race of the season, having previously kicked off the season in Daytona in February, where he kicked off RAM’s return to the sport.
Stewart will be taking part as part of Ram’s “Free Agent Driver Program,” which rotates different veteran and up-and-coming drivers into the No. 25 truck throughout the year.
“Anytime you can get into a Ram truck and go racing at a place like Talladega, you jump at it,” Stewart said in a statement released by Kaulig Racing. “Daytona in February was a blast, but this trip focuses on having fun while helping Kaulig Racing learn and build their notebook on superspeedways.
“Ram put a tremendous amount of heart into this NASCAR return. If my experience helps this team sharpen its drafting package and speed up the learning curve, everyone wins,” Stewart added.
Stewart and Kuniskis go back a few years. They first worked together in 2022, when Kuniskis helped bring Dodge and SRT together with Tony Stewart Racing in the NHRA. When Ram later announced its return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Kuniskis was also the one who approached Stewart about getting back behind the wheel.
He would be hoping for a better return in Talladega, though, as in Daytona, his race came to an end on lap 39 out of 100, when Jake Garcia’s No. 98 truck broke loose and spun in the path of Stewart’s No. 25 truck. It was a sour start to RAM’s return to the national series for the first time after a 14-year-long hiatus.
After the race, Stewart called it a “one-off” appearance and ruled out a return to the Cup Series, but he left the door open when it came to his future in the Truck Series. Now, another Truck Series appearance with Ram and Kaulig Racing is officially on the schedule.
Ram’s plan is to build its presence in the Craftsman Truck Series before making any bigger moves. The company has partnered with Kaulig Racing and launched its “Free Agent Driver Program,” bringing drivers like Stewart into the team for selected races.
Ram is also focusing on fan engagement at the track while using the Truck Series to gain more experience and data, which could eventually help bring Dodge back to the Cup Series.