Rumors about Tony Stewart’s potential return to NASCAR have been swirling for months, fueled by his growing involvement across different forms of motorsport and recent hints from insiders about manufacturer shifts within the Truck Series.

After stepping back from full-time Cup competition in 2016, Stewart has remained active as a team owner in both NASCAR and NHRA, and fans have speculated about him making a one-off return, especially following Dodge’s reported re-entry talks with NASCAR. After weeks of speculation, Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice has stepped in to set the record straight, offering rare clarity on what’s true and what’s just talk.

 “No contracts yet,” says Kaulig President

In a recent conversation with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Rice confirmed that Kaulig Racing currently has no signed contracts with any of the rumored drivers, including Tony Stewart or Kasey Kahne. “We do not have a contract with either one of those guys,” Rice said. “Do we have conversations about those guys? Absolutely. Do we have a conversation about everybody who drove a Dodge car? Absolutely.”

That comment alone sheds light on how wide Kaulig’s discussions have been since partnering with Ram Trucks, which will re-enter the Truck Series in 2026 as part of parent company Stellantis’s broader motorsport initiative. Rice humorously added, “You can put in there every single person that’s been in the Dodge car, right? Let’s talk about Layne Riggs’ dad. I think he drove a Dodge. We were talking about him the other day. So we’ve talked about all those guys. Are they gonna drive a truck? I mean, if it’s available, we’d love for anybody who’s driven a Dodge car before or RAM, but there are no contracts yet.”

Rice’s comments came amid growing online speculation that Tony Stewart, the NASCAR Hall of Famer and current NHRA Top Fuel driver, could make a one-off return to NASCAR via Kaulig’s new Ram program.

The rumor first caught fire after a recent “Skinner Roundup” episode on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, where host Angie Skinner mentioned that “a couple of pretty big names” were being discussed for an upcoming “All-Star” truck, with Stewart’s name specifically mentioned around the 36-minute mark.

That single reference set social media and outlets. Some even connected the dots between Stewart’s Tony Stewart Racing NHRA team, which already runs under Dodge’s performance division, and the potential Ram connection in NASCAR. However, as Rice emphasized, nothing has been formally agreed upon.

Still, there’s reason for intrigue. Earlier this year, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis joined Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, where he was asked directly about Stewart’s possible involvement. Kuniskis admitted he had “not heard about Stewart having any role” in Ram’s NASCAR plans, though Harvick’s question focused more on Stewart returning as a team owner, not as a driver. That distinction left a sliver of uncertainty open, which fans quickly filled with speculation.

Meanwhile, Kaulig Racing has already confirmed three of its five 2026 Ram Truck entries, with Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, Daniel Dye, and Justin Haley set to drive. The remaining two seats, including the rumored “All-Star” truck, remain unannounced, giving the rumor mill plenty of fuel.

As for Tony Stewart, his focus remains on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, where he competes full-time in Top Fuel and owns a Dodge-backed operation alongside wife Leah Pruett. While he’s made no public indication of returning to NASCAR, his enduring brand power, combined with Ram’s push to re-establish its motorsport presence, makes the idea tempting for both fans and marketers. So while it’s clear from Rice’s remarks that no papers are signed, the door isn’t completely closed either.

If Kaulig Racing does move forward with an “All-Star” truck entry, Stewart’s name, alongside other Dodge alumni like Kasey Kahne, will likely remain part of the ongoing conversation. Until then, the only thing confirmed is that Kaulig’s Ram program is real, ambitious, and still taking shape for 2026.

Stewart’s wife becomes the center of scam

In the digital era of scams, stars across entertainment, politics, and sports have been targeted by AI scams to promote fake products and other fraudulent activities. The likes of Pedro Sanchez, Rafael Nadal, Taylor Swift, Lamine Yamal, and many more have faced deepfake frauds, and the Stewart house has just become its latest scapegoat.

The scammers utilize new-age technology to clone voices and personas, making users feel like they are dealing with a real person, and then push fake products to profit from them. They blur reality to fool fans, who end up spending money in the name of their favorite celebs and athletes, and Pruett has just warned her fans against falling for the scheme.

Taking to her Instagram stories recently, Pruett made it clear that everyone who thought they were speaking to her online was actually falling victim to yet another AI scam. She further wrote that she takes days, if not months, to reply to most messages, with the only exceptions being her family and very close friends.

She wrote, “Scammers using AI at it again! I’ma make it reeeal easy for anyone thinking they’re ‘talking’ to me online… you’re not. You’re just not. I love my husband, my family, and take 3-5 business days or months to answer back to anything except family or anything racing or true friend related.”

The story update came as a follow-up to one of Leah Pruett’s contacts sending her a screenshot of the deepfake scam, where the racing driver is shown holding a piece of paper that “confirms” the fact that she is indeed real. The message on the paper reads, “Hello. It’s me, Leah Pruett. I’m just proving this to you that I’m the real Leah Pruett.” Meanwhile, the name of the person or organization using Pruett’s identity was redacted by the sender.