Chris Rice Reveals Why Kaulig Racing Will Primarily Focus On Truck and Cup Series Racing in 2026

Kaulig Racing will have a larger presence in the NASCAR scene in 2026. The Matt Kaulig-owned team announced its foray into the Craftsman Truck Series earlier this year and will run the operation alongside its Cup Series program.

The latest development is that it has decided to step away from its long-running Xfinity Series program for the time being to focus on these other two ends. Team President Chris Rice confirmed this on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio this week.

He said, “The Xfinity Series is where we were born and raised. We have made a choice that we need to focus really hard on our [Truck Series] program and our [Cup Series] program to push it forward. So, you guys will see us back in [the] Xfinity Series in the coming years, but we gotta pause it for a little bit.”

In the 10 years that it raced in the Xfinity Series, the team secured 27 victories using drivers like Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Shane van Gisbergen, and Justin Haley. It also has 141 top-5 finishes and 336 top-10 finishes. Other notable drivers who have taken a turn in the second tier for the team include Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, and Michael McDowell.

Focusing on the Craftsman Truck Series is the giant need of the hour for the entire organization. This is mainly because of the trust that RAM has put in them. The OEM decided that Kaulig Racing would be the sole team with which it would re-enter NASCAR, and Rice wants to prove to be worthy of the faith shown. And so, the team will field five truck entries throughout the 2026 season.

Brenden Queen was already confirmed to be one of the drivers for the team in the Truck Series. And now, two more additions have been made. The team announced on Wednesday that Daniel Dye and Justin Haley will join the roster as well. Dye, just 21 years old, will complete his maiden full-time Xfinity Series season with the team at Phoenix this weekend.

Haley, following his departure from Spire Motorsports, will return to the team he called home for five seasons. He played a pivotal role in crafting the team’s early years in the sport, and his homecoming is a truly special moment. He said in a team statement, “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to race with Kaulig Racing again.” Further team updates can be expected over the coming weeks.