(photo credit Leon Hammack)

Tony Stewart Racing had a big announcement this week that has fans pumped for 2026.

On Wednesday, the team announced that Rico Abreu would be competing for Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing as a full-time driver for the No. 24 winged sprint car in the Kubota High Limit Racing Series.

Abreu is an experienced and respected driver who has competed on a variety of circuits. He competed in 26 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series between 2015 and 2017 and had 14 races in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2015.

“Rico has proven to be a tremendous talent behind the wheel, but also a great ambassador for the sport,” Stewart said in a statement announcing the news. “Rico and I have been good friends for a long time, and I’ve always admired the way he races. He competes with passion, and he is the gold standard for the way he represents his partners and the sport.

“Rico is the complete package, and we’re genuinely excited to have him join the program.”

“Driving for Tony Stewart Racing is a dream come true,” Abreu said in a statement. “Tony has built one of the most respected programs in all of racing, and having the chance to represent TSR feels like a huge reward. Tony has been a friend and mentor to me for many years, and to go racing with him in High Limit Racing is a surreal opportunity that I’m excited to begin his move is more of a coalition than a signing, as Abreu’s team will join TSR and operate the now No. 24 out of their shop in Indiana.

Furthermore, TSR will shift it’s operation out of World of Outlaws competition and compete in High Limit with a franchise (similar to a NASCAR Charter) leased from Abreu’s team. While the team is competing full-time in High Limit this coming season, they also announced their intentions to race in major events like the Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals.

Currently, TSR sits sixth in World of Outlaws team points, though their drivers have yet to score a win this season. After years of declining performance, Stewart told Dale Earnhardt Jr. on The Dale Jr Download that the team was due for a major overhaul for next season.

Earlier this season, on August 12, the team announced it was parting ways with legend Donny Schatz after 18 years together. Since then, the team has entered Kerry Madsen to pilot the No. 15 for the remainder of the 2025 World of Outlaws season.

NASCAR fans may know Abreu from a short stint he had racing in ARCA and NASCAR from 2015 to 2017. During that time, he made 14 ARCA starts in 2015 and raced for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the 2016 Craftsman Truck Series season, finishing 13th in points.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!