After Missing Part of 2025, Stewart Friesen to Rejoin NASCAR Truck Series in 2026
When the green flag drops at Daytona on February 13, it won’t just signify the start of a new season. For the crew at Halmar Friesen Racing (HFR), it will mark the end of a grueling, uncertain chapter. The man who built this team from the ground up, Stewart Friesen, is officially back in the seat of the No. 52 Toyota Tundra.
He is set to complete a comeback that many in the garage thought was medically impossible just six months ago. Friesen’s 2025 season ended in a flash of violence at Autodrome Drummond last July. A dirt-modified accident left him with an open-book pelvis fracture and a shattered right leg.
It was the kind of wreck that makes a 42-year-old veteran rethink everything. But for the Niagara-on-the-Lake native, the recovery wasn’t about “if” he would return. It was about how fast his body could catch up to his hunger to get back behind the wheel.
Daily Friesen Update: The Road Through the Simulator
On Thursday, Friesen stepped into the spotlight on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to confirm what his fans had been praying for. “The last month I’ve been making some leaps and bounds,” he shared. “No more crutches, no more canes, I’m walking pretty normally and anticipating a return at Daytona in just over a month.”
The recovery hasn’t just been about physical therapy in a gym. Friesen has been logging intensive hours at the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) simulator in Salisbury, North Carolina. It’s in the digital realm, where he’s had to prove to himself and his manufacturer that his leg can handle the violent vibrations and heavy braking loads of a Craftsman Truck Series race.
After his most recent 2.5-hour session, the verdict was clear: This driver is ready once again for the real thing, and what better way to do it than at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in the Fresh From Florida 250.
The Social Signal: A Milestone for the No. 52
The emotional weight of this return was captured in a simple, powerful post that began circulating through the NASCAR community. After months of wheelchairs and rehab, the sight of Friesen back on his feet was the victory the shop needed.
The post served as a rallying cry for a team that had to watch from the sidelines while Kaden Honeycutt steered their truck to a Championship 4 appearance last fall. While Honeycutt’s performance proved the No. 52 was a powerhouse, there is a different kind of soul in the shop when the boss is back in the building.
Expanding the Empire: Two Trucks for 2026
What makes this return even more ambitious is that Stewart Friesen isn’t just coming back to drive; he’s coming back to lead an expansion. HFR is officially growing into a two-truck operation, fielding the No. 62 Toyota Tundra full-time alongside the flagship No. 52.
Friesen will once again be paired with crew chief Jimmy Villeneuve, a partnership that has already delivered four career wins and a Michigan trophy just before the injury last year. The addition of a second truck means more data, more resources, and a larger footprint for Toyota.
While Friesen admitted he might have to scale back his legendary 60-race dirt schedule to manage the growing pains of a two-truck team, his primary focus is bringing HFR its first series championship.
What This Means For Friesen’s 2026 Run
The return of a veteran like Friesen changes the dynamic of the Truck Series field in three distinct ways:
The Veteran Benchmark:
In a series increasingly populated by teenagers and “pay drivers,” Friesen represents the old-school grit. He provides a measuring stick for young talent. If you can beat Friesen on a short track, you’ve truly earned your stripes.
The “Honeycutt Foundation”:
Kaden Honeycutt didn’t just fill Friesen’s seat. He helped evolve the No. 52’s setup. Friesen is returning to a truck that is arguably at the peak of its development. He isn’t rebuilding a program; he’s hopping into a championship-caliber machine.
A New Power Dynamic for Toyota:
With HFR expanding to two trucks, the manufacturer’s balance is shifting. Between Tricon Garage and the expanded HFR, Toyota now has a massive developmental pipeline that rivals the depth of the Chevrolet and Ford stables.
For Stewart Friesen, 2026 isn’t about proving he can still drive. It’s about proving that the wreck was just a speed bump on the way to the trophy. The hard part is over; the racing is about to begin.
