Following a 10-year run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which is set to be known as the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series beginning in 2026, Kaulig Racing will no longer field a team next year.
With Ram Trucks set to return to the Truck Series, Matt Kaulig's team made the decision to usher in the manufacturer's new era with a new era of their own, forming a partnership and joining the Truck Series with a massive five-truck program.
The focus on that new endeavor has led to the decision to table the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series operation for the time being.
Kaulig Racing leaving the NASCAR Xfinity Series
Kaulig Racing's successful Xfinity Series stint, which included 27 total victories and two regular season championships from A.J. Allmendinger in 2021 and 2022, was somewhat of a pleasant surprise, given their humble beginnings.
Kaulig himself even admitted that he considered stopping after they got their first win in 2019, and they wound up getting 26 more over the next six-plus seasons. It effectively went from a personal project to a powerhouse, and it's something that he and the entire organization can be proud of.
The team do plan to continue competing full-time in the Cup Series, and they plan to do so with Chevrolet. Allmendinger is set to return for another year behind the wheel of the No. 16 Chevrolet, while Ty Dillon is expected to return for another year behind the wheel of the No. 10 Chevrolet, though the latter has not yet been confirmed.
If Ram ends up expanding their NASCAR presence to the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and eventually the Cup Series, Kaulig Racing would likely return to the former and ultimately switch manufacturers on the Cup side as well, but those decisions aren't set to be made officially until further down the road.
As for the Truck Series team, three of the team's full-time drivers for 2026 have been confirmed. Justin Haley is set to rejoin the organization with which he spent three full Xfinity Series seasons from 2019 to 2021 and two full Cup Series seasons in 2022 and 2023, while current Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series driver Daniel Dye is set to join him.
Additionally, ARCA Menards Series champion Brenden Queen has been confirmed as a rookie driver after making select Truck Series starts in 2024 and 2025.
The team's other full-time Xfinity Series driver, Christian Eckes, has not yet confirmed his plans for 2026.
Whether the team will bring in two other full-time drivers or rotate drivers in and out of the other two trucks remains to be seen. Additionally, only one truck number (No. 10) has been confirmed. No numbers have been confirmed for Haley, Dye, or Queen.