Why Kaulig Racing believes a Truck gamble is worth the risk

Kaulig Racing has taken on big projects before, but its latest move might be the boldest yet. The team confirmed on Saturday (23 August) that it will partner with Ram's long-awaited return to NASCAR, fielding five full-time entries in the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series.

The announcement came at the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership, where a No. 10 Ram-branded truck was unveiled just hours before the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

For Ram, it marks the manufacturer's first active NASCAR program since it departed after 2012. For Kaulig Racing, it marks an expansion into uncharted territory. Despite operating in both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series, the team has never competed in Trucks until now.

Team owner Matt Kaulig said the approach was simple: if you're going in, go in big.

---

"We're going to do it different": The Kaulig Racing way

(L-R) Kaulig Racing president Chris Rice and owner Matt Kaulig at Daytona. Source: Getty

Kaulig Racing's partnership with Ram represents more than just adding a third national series to its portfolio. For the team, also about scale and identity. In keeping with the team's philosophy of hunting for trophies, Matt Kaulig said this was never going to be a small rollout.

"I know Ram doesn't do anything small, as you can see by the dealerships and everything else, and I know at Kaulig Racing, we don't do anything small. So when we're going into the truck series, we're not going to kind of silently come in or just kind of tiptoe our way in. We're doing it big,” Kaulig told media (via NASCAR.com)

Starting from scratch with a five-truck lineup is a massive undertaking. Team president Chris Rice acknowledged the challenge, but insisted the team is prepared to handle it.

"All we can say is we're going to sit here and give you all that we can give you. We're going to show you, and we're going to do the best we can. Are we going to fail at times? Absolutely, are we going to have people talk about us at times how bad we did? Absolutely, we’ve made some decisions that people have laughed at, but I can tell you what we're going to do. We're going to do it different, and it's going to be a lot of fun doing it," Rice added.

Kaulig Racing has followed that philosophy throughout its NASCAR journey since its debut in 2016. It currently has two full-time cars in Xfinity and the Cup.

---

Ram's NASCAR picture beyond Kaulig Racing

The Ram announcement before the NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan. Source: Getty

The Truck Series program could very well be just the first step in Ram’s return. Stellantis (Ram's parent company) executives have made it clear that the ultimate goal is to re-establish a presence at the Cup level, potentially under the Dodge banner. But that timeline remains unclear for now.

"I think we've got a lot of work to do to get these five trucks on track first, and then Cup is the next thing on our agenda to figure it out. How are we going to do it? What are we going to do? … I'd hate to commit to the timing with you, but it is a much bigger endeavor. With trucks being a spec chassis, we've got the body, we're through aero and all that good stuff. Cup is just such a bigger endeavor, and a lot of work has to be done in developing an engine and all that," said Nate Buelow, SVP of Brand Marketing for Stellantis North America.

For now, Kaulig Racing is treating its Ram Truck program as a stand-alone effort. The team continues to field Chevrolet entries in Cup and Xfinity through its alliance with Richard Childress Racing and has no plans to change.

That separation may prove vital in allowing Kaulig to balance manufacturer commitments while still chasing trophies across all three national divisions - a unique position that no other active NASCAR organization can claim.