Newman Set for Kaulig's No. 25 Ram at North Wilkesboro

Ryan Newman will return to NASCAR national-series competition in Kaulig Racing’s No. 25 Ram 1500 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on July 18, part of Ram’s rotating-driver Free Agent Program as the brand returns to the sport after a 13-year absence. The race will be Newman’s first start in one of NASCAR’s top three national series since he left the Cup Series after the 2023 season, and his first Truck Series appearance since 2018.

Newman, 48, brings a long record to the program. He won the 2008 Daytona 500 and has 18 Cup Series victories, along with 51 career poles across more than two decades of racing. In seven previous Truck Series starts, he collected one win, one pole, six top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes. His first Truck Series start came in 2008 and ended in a victory, and he also won a modified race at North Wilkesboro in 2022.

Kaulig Racing said the No. 25 entry is designed to rotate high-profile drivers through the 2026 schedule, with Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurray already slated for earlier races. The team’s Free Agent roster also includes Corey LaJoie, Brenden Queen, "Mini" Tyrrell and Justin Haley. Newman said he was excited to return to a brand that had early career success for him and to race again at Wilkesboro. The North Wilkesboro Truck Series race is set to air live on FS1 and the NASCAR Network at 1:30 p.m. EDT.