Last September, Tony Stewart made a bold call by bringing one of sprint car racing’s most electrifying stars into Tony Stewart Racing for a full-time push in High Limit Racing. Everyone knew that it wasn’t just another signing, but was rather a statement. A gamble that blending star power with an iconic team could reshape the competitive order. Now, just a few races into the season, that high-stakes move has already started delivering and in emphatic fashion.

Rico Abreu delivers early payoff for Tony Stewart’s big move

It didn’t take long for Rico Abreu to justify the hype surrounding his move to Tony Stewart’s camp. At Central Arizona Raceway, the new partnership struck gold in just their fourth outing, with Abreu wheeling the No. 24 to Victory Lane in a chaotic Cactus Classic feature in the 2026 Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The 25-lap race itself was anything but straightforward. Early contenders like Brad Sweet, James McFadden, Brian Brown, and Ryan Timms all fell out of contention, turning the spotlight onto a tight duel between Abreu and Tanner Thorson. Thorson controlled much of the early stretch, but a perfectly timed restart on Lap 14 flipped the race on its head. Abreu pounced, took control, and never looked back, cruising to a commanding 2.697-second victory.

“I knew the harder I drove my car, it was interesting tonight, you know, the slower it was, so I really had to back my corners up and allow the tire to work and just make sure we kept our momentum up throughout the race.”

That patience and adaptability proved decisive, marking Abreu’s 26th career win in High Limit Racing and making him the fourth different winner in four races this season. He also took home $10,000 as the prize money for the event.

Behind him, Thorson continued his red-hot consistency with another runner-up finish, while Daison Pursley rounded out the podium with an impressive charge from 10th to third. If this race was any indication, Tony Stewart’s gamble isn’t just paying off. It’s already reshaping the early-season narrative.

Tony Stewart’s NASCAR return sparks new dreams for Abreu

“I would jump on the horse,” said Rico Abreu. “You know, I would be very specific about what track we go to. I love what Chris Rice is doing with that race team. I just think that it has to, right now for me, sprint car racing comes first, but I would definitely entertain, you know, running a truck series race.”

That statement says a lot! Not just about Abreu’s mindset, but about the ripple effect created by Tony Stewart’s return to NASCAR competition in 2026. When Stewart strapped back into a truck at Daytona, it was a nostalgic moment for the fans, but it also opened a door for the drivers as well. Suddenly, drivers from outside the stock car pipeline began to see NASCAR as a realistic, short-term crossover opportunity rather than a full-time career switch.

A big part of that shift comes from what Kaulig Racing is building alongside Chris Rice. With Ram’s return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the team has leaned into a flexible model. They are fielding multiple trucks while introducing a rotating seat designed specifically for drivers from different disciplines. It’s a concept that feels tailor-made for someone like Abreu.

And Tony Stewart himself helped legitimize the idea. By driving the No. 25 Ram truck at Daytona (his first national series start since 2016), he proved that elite racers can jump in, compete, and make an impact without committing full-time.

For Abreu, whose roots run deep in sprint cars and dirt racing, the priority hasn’t changed. But the curiosity is clearly there. And if Tony Stewart’s gamble continues to blur the lines between disciplines, it might only be a matter of time before Abreu takes that leap. He just has to wait for the right track and the right moment to present themselves.