Tony Stewart Is RETURNING To Daytona! | Responding To Your Comments On “The Chase”

Smoke is back, and he’s doing it on one of NASCAR’s biggest stages. Tony Stewart is officially returning to Daytona, headlining a packed episode that also dives into short track testing and fan reaction to NASCAR’s new championship format. Between nostalgia, real on-track implications, and big picture debate, this one covers a lot of ground fast.

• Why is Tony Stewart’s Daytona Truck Series return such a surprise, even by Smoke’s standards?
• What does his one-off Ram Truck entry mean for the Craftsman Truck Series opener?
• Can increased horsepower and North Wilkesboro testing actually improve short track racing?
• Does the new Chase format fix past playoff problems, or just create new ones?

Tony Stewart will drive the Ram No. 25 truck at Daytona, marking his first NASCAR start in nearly a decade and his first Truck Series race in over 20 years. It’s a bold comeback, not at a comfort track, but under the lights at the World Center of Racing. At the same time, Cup teams are testing 750-horsepower packages at North Wilkesboro, with new driver-crew chief pairings getting their first real reps together ahead of the 2026 season.

In this episode, Eric also reacts to fan comments on NASCAR’s newly announced Chase format, including debates over the 16-driver cutoff, the removal of win and you’re in, and whether stages still make sense without playoff points. The response so far has shown cautious optimism, even from fans of the full-season format.

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