Donny Schatz gets a new home for 2026 World of Outlaws season after surprise split from Tony Stewart

2026 will mark a new chapter for Donny Schatz, who left Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing back in August, ending a partnership that lasted for almost two decades. As per the latest news, the 48-year-old speedster has moved to CJB Motorsports for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

Team owner Tony Stewart believes that Schatz has helped build the organization to what it is today. In a team statement, the former NASCAR Cup Series driver said,

“We’ve had a driver-team owner relationship that has gone beyond that partnership, he’s become part of my extended family through the years, and I have the utmost respect for him and what his career represents — a generational driving talent."

“We’re both competitors to our core and we both hold ourselves to a high standard of performance that we’ve struggled to obtain," Stewart added. "Making a change now gives each of us the chance to reset and refocus before 2026.”

Shortly after Schatz left, Tony Stewart's team tabbed Kerry Madsen as the driver of their No. 15 entry for the remainder of the 2025 season. Schatz’s last race with Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing was the 2025 Knoxville Nationals, in which he captured an eleventh-place finish.

Donny Schatz’s move will also mark CJB Motorsports’ return to the series since competing with Spencer Bayston in 2023. Founded in 2005, CJB Motorsports currently flaunts a total of 52 victories in The Greatest Show on Dirt. Schatz will be joined by veteran crew chief Barry Jackson in what’s going to be the 10-time series champion’s 30th full season in the World of Outlaws.

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NASCAR champion Tony Stewart is all set to compete against his wife in 2026

Tony Stewart will join Elite Motorsports for the 2026 NHRA season. The news surfaced about a week after Stewart announced that he would vacate the Tony Stewart Racing Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster, as his wife is now fit to resume her driver duties with the NHRA.

This means that Stewart will compete against his wife through the 2026 season, even though Elite Motorsports shares a marketing alliance with Stewart Racing. In a press release, team owner Richard Freeman said,

“Tony is a great driver; we all know he can drive anything. He’s great for drag racing, not just as a team owner but behind the wheel. We’re excited that through our marketing alliance with Tony Stewart Racing, we’re creating an opportunity for Tony to keep a Top Fuel seat and a chance to race alongside his wife, Leah.”

Leah Pruett is an 18-time winner in the NHRA. This includes 12 victories in Top Fuel, 3 in Pro Mod, and 3 in Factory Stock Showdown. Her latest triumph came in the 2023 Norwalk Nationals, which was held at the Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.