Tony Stewart is all set to make his return to NASCAR through the Daytona Craftsman Truck Series, and his fans are eagerly awaiting the same. Throughout those years, Stewart formed a bittersweet relationship with the sport. As a driver he achieved peak glory, but his relationship with the sport deteriorated when he was unhappy with the direction and communication of the sport in recent years. But whatever the past, nothing is stopping him from returning to Daytona.
Tony Stewart’s return to Daytona despite past tensions in NASCAR
“Hey, would you ever be interested in competing in a truck race next year?” » That’s how the conversation started and everything fell into place.
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In a recent conversation between Tony Stewart and Tim KuniskisStewart has revealed how he doesn’t have a pleasant relationship with NASCAR, and over the past few months and years, particularly during NASCAR’s dramatic antitrust trial, things have become more bitter. But the question of whether or not he would like to run again changed a lot of things.
“I think everyone on this call understands that I haven’t had the best relationship with NASCAR and I’ve certainly had more reasons over the last 12 months to not have the best relationship, but at the end of the day, parts of the racing and the people there were worth it,” Stewart said.
The opportunity dovetailed perfectly with its ties to Stellantis brands like Dodge and Ram, making Daytona’s return irresistible. “When the opportunity comes to do something with you, obviously you know what to do with the RAM brand. Our relationship with the Dodge side … is great.”
Tony’s decision to return to the truck series surprised even those close to him. When Tony informed his wife, Leah, of his decision, her eyes widened in disbelief, knowing his history with NASCAR.
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“I went back to Leah, I said, ‘Hey, I just talked to Tim, and Tim asked me if I’d be interested in running a truck race,’ and her eyes got really big. She kind of knows the history of my relationship with NASCAR, but she was like, ‘What, are you telling me?’ I said, “Yeah, I think I’d be interested” and she looked at me like I had three heads, so it took a bit of convincing – to convince that I was serious about it.
Tony revealed that even Kuniskis wasn’t sure if Tony was serious about his return or not. The 54-year-old driver will drive the No. 25 Kaulig Racing RAM 1500 truck. This will be Tony’s first time competing in NASCAR since his final Cup season in 2016, and he hasn’t driven a truck since 2005.
Stewart has 19 victories in various series at the Daytona track. “I’ve raced just about everything with four wheels at Daytona, but never with a truck. So when a seat in the new RAM was offered for their first race in NASCAR, I didn’t hesitate,” Stewart said in an interview.
So even though Tony has a bittersweet relationship with NASCAR, he is ready to compete at Daytona.
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But while Tony Stewart fills the free agent seat with Kaulig Racing for Daytona, the spot is open after that. And there’s someone ready to take that seat.
This unknown driver is ready to take Tony’s place
He’s not yet very familiar with the NASCAR garage, but he could become a star if he has good sponsored support and on-track talent. Stephen Mallozzi launched a bold video call. Where he summed up the harsh economics of grassroots NASCAR racing, where getting sponsorship is not as easy as it seems.
“Here’s my problem,” he began, “Not only am I a law student who works full time, but I’ve also raced in NASCAR for the last five seasons, and it’s a lot of work to find sponsors. What people don’t realize about NASCAR is that I have to find fifty to a hundred thousand dollars in sponsorship just to cover the cost per race.”
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He introduced himself in a very unique and perfect way, and also explained how for some races he himself has to finance them by making insane sacrifices for the race because he doesn’t always get sponsors.
“For some races I was able to find sponsors, but one time I sold my car to race. That was my last time.”
Finally, Stephen concluded, “It’s time for Ram to give me a chance, because nothing says ‘courage, glory, Ram’ like a guy who works, studies law and drives a NASCAR at the same time. Nice to meet you. My name is Stephen Mallozzi.”
His speech received a lot of love and support from NASCAR fans. The issues highlighted by Stephen shed light on the reality of NASCAR, how difficult it is for normal racers to get sponsorships and how expensive racing is, due to which many talented drivers remain unknown and invisible in this hyperactive world of NASCAR.
