On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast on YouTube, former NASCAR star driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke down how the RAM Trucks team would serve as a 'direct' pipeline for the team's Cup Series return. On Saturday, August 23, 2025, Kaulig Racing announced the return of RAM in NASCAR with the team.The announcement was made at the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM dealership owned by Daniel Dye's father. The dealership is located at 1450 North Tomoka Farms Road in Daytona, Florida. The OEM aims to enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with five trucks in the upcoming 2026 season with Kaulig Racing.Reflecting on the team's return to the Truck Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about the drivers for the trucks. He claimed the OEM should look for young drivers in the Xfinity Series, along with the Cars Tour, local regional champions, and NASCAR veterans who are still looking for a chance to compete.Dale Jr. further explained how this will help the RAM Truck team to pave a path to the Cup Series:"You bring in some grassroots young guy that needs that opportunity, that everybody would be excited about. This has absolutely got a direct path to the Cup Series. All these other programs, there's a route to cup, but it ain't direct. Dodge is going to be a Cup team in the next year or two." [00:30 onwards]"If you jump in one of their five trucks and you go out there and win races, you have supplanted yourself as their future. I would be knocking the door down over a colleague trying to get to Chris Rice to see what opportunity would be there for me if I was a young driver looking for a chance," Dale Earnhardt Jr. added.Before the truck manufacturer partnered with Kaulig Racing, they went to multiple teams, including Niece Motorsports, GMS Racing, and Rette Jones Racing. However, the North Carolina-based team was the only team to take RAM on their offer. Additionally, the NASCAR team became the first team to feature two OEMs under the same governing body.“Every fan of NASCAR is going to feel like a winner”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his excitement over the 2026 Cup Series scheduleEarlier this month, former two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2026 Cup Series schedule. On August 20, 2025, the governing body announced the schedule with some tweaks to keep the sport engaging.The next season will kick off with a non-points-paying race, The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, on Sunday, February 2026. Followed by the first points-paying race, the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2026. The major change in the 2026 season schedule features a destination change for the NASCAR All-Star race. This year's All-Star race was held at North Wilkesboro Speedway. However, in 2026, the race will be held at Dover Motor Speedway, making the North Wilkesboro Speedway race a points-paying race. Reflecting on the change, Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn't hold his excitement and wrote (via X):"The big news for me on the 2026 @NASCAR schedule is @NWBSpeedway getting a points race! I can't wait to call 400 laps of night racing there on July 19. It's massive for the surrounding community, and every fan of NASCAR is going to feel like a winner next July."The North Wilkesboro Speedway race is scheduled for July 19, 2026. The governing body added two off weeks in the Cup Series schedule during the regular season. The first off-week will be given after the Martinsville race on March 29, and the second off-week is scheduled after the Indianapolis race on July 26, 2026.