According to Kyle Busch, the NASCAR that Tony Stewart is returning to is a far more reckless one. And for the returning legend, the two-time Cup champion has a stark, seven-word piece of advice that speaks volumes about his lost faith in the new generation.

In a previous interview, Busch highlighted how the current generation of drivers have more of a ruthless attitude while racing, which often results in crashes. He provided examples, explaining that outside of the Cup Series, drivers often engage in strong battles and aggressive driving, which frequently ends their races prematurely. This is also a little warning that he sent to Stewart, as he prepares to mark his return.

Busch warns Tony Stewart

Kaulig Racing announced this Tuesday that three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and former team owner Tony Stewart will run at the Daytona International Speedway in the Truck Series, running the season-opening race on the 13th of February. This will mark the first time in over twenty years that Stewart will race in the series, having previously won two races in it. He will be running the #25 RAM Truck.

Busch, however, is a much more familiar face in the series. He won the race at Atlanta in the series last year and has also won the season-opening event (over a decade ago now). Understandably, he has some tips for Stewart.

“I need to get him one of my shirts that I wore there a few years ago. Where this is the most expensive day of the year for the owners,” Busch said, reacting to Stewart’s return.

It is important to understand that racing has changed quite a bit since Tony Stewart last ran in the Truck Series, and the drivers have become more aggressive. Owing to this, Busch dropped a sarcastic seven-word comment on Stewart’s return.

“I hope he doesn’t plan on finishing,” Kyle Busch said.

This could be a difficult task for Stewart, who hasn’t run a race in any of NASCAR’s premier series since 2016. However, managing his team and being a full-time competitor in the NHRA has given him a different sort of experience in motorsports. So, while he hasn’t exactly been around stock car racing, Stewart can still make for a strong contender in a race.

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Why has racing become more aggressive, as Busch suggested?

There are multiple reasons for this, but it is quite apparent that racing in NASCAR has become quite aggressive over the years, especially in the Truck Series. One of the main issues is the Playoff and stage championship format, which was followed up until the 2025 season. This format did not reward consistency as well as it did race wins. The result? Drivers were focused more on winning races, by any means, than actually being consistent on the track. This has been noted in all of NASCAR’s premier series, not just Truck.

But the latter has issues of its own. The young and upcoming drivers lack experience. Cup drivers usually know when it is safe to push and the right amount of risk, but the same cannot be said for the Truck drivers. The race length does not allow them to focus more on consistency and remain relaxed. The environment is tense, and they react accordingly.

Moreover, the current generation of Trucks is not aerodynamically very efficient. They struggle in dirty air, and so the overtakes can be rather difficult and not so clean.

The situation has changed vastly in the two decades that Tony Stewart didn’t step into the series, and it is rather apparent why Kyle Busch, who himself is in a do-or-die situation, seems to be warning him ahead of his return. Yet, Stewart’s experience could prove to be essential here.