{"id":276484,"date":"2025-11-11T14:33:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/276484\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T14:33:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:33:12","slug":"what-do-the-smoke-signals-from-tony-stewart-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/276484\/","title":{"rendered":"What do the ‘Smoke’ signals from Tony Stewart mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the wake of Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s closure<\/a> at the end of the 2024 season, Tony Stewart was unequivocal about his future in NASCAR ownership. \u201cI am not going to own a team in NASCAR ever again,\u201d he told Fox Sports, citing escalating operational costs and broader economic pressures that had made the four-car operation unsustainable.<\/p>\n

\u2013by Mark Cipolloni\u2013<\/p>\n

The shutdown marked the end of a 16-year partnership with Gene Haas, during which Stewart secured three Cup Series championships as a driver. Since then, the 54-year-old Hall of Famer has shifted his focus to NHRA drag racing, where his wife, Leah Pruett, competes under the Stellantis banner\u2014parent company to Dodge and RAM\u2014while he oversees sprint car operations also tied to the manufacturer.<\/p>\n

\"\"Tony Stewart wins first top-fuel final in Vegas \u2013 with wife Leah and their first baby<\/p>\n

Yet, as of November 11, 2025, persistent rumors suggest Stewart could re-engage with NASCAR. Speculation centers on a potential one-off appearance in the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series All-Star Race, driving a RAM entry alongside former rival-turned-ally Kasey Kahne. The buzz originated from the \u201cRAMMIN\u2019 is RACING\u201d podcast on Kaulig Racing\u2019s Kaulignation network, with follow-up reports from SiriusXM NASCAR Radio hosts Mike Skinner and Angie Marlar. Kaulig, which parted ways with Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing earlier this year, is aligning with RAM for a confirmed 2026 Truck Series return and is advocating for a fifth truck in the All-Star event to accommodate this \u201clegends\u201d lineup, potentially including Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer sharing duties.<\/p>\n

RAM CEO Tim Kuniskis addressed the chatter during a Michigan International Speedway announcement, confirming no formal discussions but noting Stewart\u2019s name frequently arises. \u201cPeople said when I was at MIS and made this announcement, \u2018Are you just fishing for a team to see who stands up?\u2019 I didn\u2019t hear anything from Tony, but we\u2019ll see where this all ends up,\u201d Kuniskis said, expressing openness to leveraging recognizable veterans for the brand\u2019s re-entry. The arrangement could tie into Stellantis\u2019 broader support for Stewart\u2019s NHRA program, where the company already offsets significant expenses.<\/p>\n

Stewart, who last competed full-time in the Cup Series in 2016, has softened some of his criticisms of the sport. In a recent SiriusXM interview, he affirmed plans to attend NASCAR events using his Hall of Fame credentials: \u201cI\u2019m definitely planning on coming back to NASCAR races. As a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I get a hard card\u2026 I miss a lot of things about NASCAR, and most of all the people.\u201d He has voiced frustration with elements like plate racing but stopped short of ruling out selective involvement.<\/p>\n

These whispers coincide with escalating pressure on NASCAR from an ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in October 2024. On November 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ruled in the teams\u2019 favor on the definition of the \u201crelevant marketplace,\u201d broadening it to encompass NASCAR\u2019s control over tracks, media rights, and suppliers\u2014beyond just Cup Series charters. The plaintiffs, who opted out of 2025 charter agreements to pursue the suit, recently narrowed their claims by dismissing the Section 1 antitrust allegation, streamlining focus on Section 2 (monopolization) for the December 1 jury trial. NASCAR officials, including Commissioner Steve Phelps, have indicated settlement efforts are underway, with analysts estimating a team victory could boost revenue shares by 20-30%, making independent operations more viable and potentially drawing back figures like Stewart.<\/p>\n

Fan reactions on social media lean skeptical. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) reflect doubt: \u201cI\u2019d really be shocked if Tony is gonna run some truck races, he\u2019s been so distant from NASCAR and has been having a good time with NHRA,\u201d one user wrote. Another demanded, \u201cI\u2019m gonna need a better source than \u2018I\u2019ve heard.\u2019 Tony has been very clear that he hates plate racing,\u201d while a third flatly stated, \u201cNo shot Tony Stewart races a truck. None.\u201d Excitement bubbles for Kahne\u2019s potential return but tempers expectations for Smoke.<\/p>\n

Given the antitrust momentum\u2014poised to reshape team economics\u2014and Stewart\u2019s deepening ties to RAM without ownership commitments, the odds of him revisiting his \u201cnever again\u201d stance on owning a team sit at around 40% over the next two years. A post-trial settlement or loss for NASCAR could elevate that figure, turning marginal ventures profitable. For now, the rumors point to a driver\u2019s seat cameo, not the owner\u2019s box\u2014a calculated nod to nostalgia amid a sport in flux. As the December gavel looms, Stewart\u2019s path remains as unpredictable as a late-race restart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the wake of Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s closure at the end of the 2024 season, Tony Stewart was unequivocal…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":276485,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,634,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-276484","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nascar","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-nascar","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}