Kaulig Racing 'Going Big' With Five RAM NASCAR Truck Entries in 2026

Toby Christie | Racing America On SI

Prior to Saturday evening's NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Kaulig Racing, which will field two Chevrolet entries in the event, announced that it will expand into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026. The race team will serve as the anchor factory team for RAM Trucks, which is set to re-enter the series after a 13-year hiatus.

"I've never been more excited or more enthusiastic to make any kind of announcement, actually in my life," Kaulig Racing team owner Matt Kauiig said to open the announcement. "I've done a lot of announcements, I have a lot of businesses, and I'm just super excited about what we have going on and with what the future holds for what we have going on."

Kaulig continued, "Everybody saw that RAM announced at Michigan, a couple of months ago, that they were coming back to NASCAR in the Truck Series. And I want to announce that we at Kaulig Racing are going to the Truck Series and we couldn't be more excited about it."

Tim Kuniskis, RAM CEO, stated in a press release that Kaulig Racing perfectly ties into what the OEM is attempting to achieve in its return to NASCAR.

“We needed a partner that truly aligns with the Ram brand and embraces our unconventional approach to NASCAR," Kuniskis said.

Kaulig says that RAM Trucks chose their organization, and that conversations between his team and the OEM were ongoing for a couple of months.

The theme of Saturday's event was that RAM Trucks and Kaulig Racing have agreed to enter this partnership in a high-energy and big way. Keeping with that theme, Kaulig Racing has agreed to field five RAM Trucks-backed entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next season.

"We're going into the Truck Series, we're not kinda going to silently come in or just tip-toe our way in. We're doing it big. They say, you should do it big. So, I want to announce, we're doing five trucks next year in 2026," Kaulig exclaimed to a thunderous round of applause. "We're doing five, we're doing it big."

The announcement took place at Daytona Dodge Chrysler Ram, which is a dealership owned by Randy Dye, the father of Daniel Dye, a driver for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season.

Kaulig Racing will continue to operate out of its current shop on the Richard Childress Racing campus in Welcome, NC, despite the move to align with RAM Trucks for its NASCAR Truck Series operation in 2026.

"We're going to be in Welcome, North Carolina, until further notice or until we decide to go somewhere else," Chris Rice, team president said during a media availability after the initial announcement. "But right now, we're not looking to move. [Team owner] Matt [Kaulig] owns both shops, he owns all of the land there. We're looking at more properties in that area to be able to expand to, but yes, it will be in Welcome."

The expansion into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ranks will not impact Kaulig Racing's NASCAR Cup Series or NASCAR Xfinity Series entries as the Truck Series program will have its own set of employees dedicated to bringing the program to life.

Rice says the team is targeting the acquisition of approximately 50 employees for the expansion.