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Ram roars back in Nascar and it has been tapping Kaulig Racing to help make it happen.
RAM officially confirmed on Saturday that Kaulig Racing, the young, aggressive team owned by Ohio-based entrepreneur Matt Kaulig, will be the Anchor Factory team for the truck manufacturer’s return to NASCAR, starting with the Craftsman Truck series in 2026.
Kaulig Racing is set to field up to five RAM 1500 trucks in the truck series, which begins February 13, 2026, when the season starts at Daytona International Speedway.
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Side View of New Kaulig Racing RAM 1500 truck as both companies advertise partnership for 2026 Truck Series.
“This partnership represents far more than a new chapter in Kaulig Racing’s history, it is an association of shared values,” Kaulig told Pakinomist Digital. “Over the past decade, our team has built up a legacy that is rooted in performance, integrity and giving back to society. To join the forces as an anchor team for Ram’s return to NASCAR, both an honor and a responsibility. Together we are ready to set a new standard on race day and in the influence we make on the field.”
The Dodge brand was one of the basic producers of the truck series before 1995, and it eventually led to Ram standing high as his own brand in 2010. However, it closed the store in 2013 and has been asleep since.
It changed on June 8 at Michigan International Speedway, where RAM announced it would return to Nascar Craftsman Truck Series. But while the tension filled the air, a big question immediately went into the mind of each racial team: Who is RAM with?
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“When you walk around the garage, you can’t even say anything,” Kaulig said, knowing that they would be the partners of the iconic American manufacturer. “And everyone is trying to guess like ‘Who is the team? Is that you?’ We are like ‘No, is it you?’ So just to be able to get it out in the open and get rolling, it’s been the biggest thing.
As Ram Ceo Tim Kuniskis put it: “We needed a partner who really adapts to the RAM brand and embraces our unconventional approach to Nascar.”
Ty Norris, chief business officer for Kaulig Racing, who brings more than three decades of NASCAR expertise, knew his team’s unconventional, aggressive approach made sense for this opportunity.
“When we met with Tim and Nate [Buelow] In Auburn Hills, Michigan, they told us that not everyone will market as we are and assume this responsibility, “Norris told Pakinomist Digital.” As they looked at several teams, the Kaulig Racing was the team that fits all the pieces. It had a lot to do with Matt, which in relevant terms is young. He clearly has the funds and he has the passion for the sport. He is unconventional, so I think it was really excited because they will do some unconventional things in their marketing method.
(LR) Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing, and team president Chris Rice smiles under National Anthem on the race track. (Kaulig Racing)
“When they looked at the overall picture of Kaulig Racing, they said this one is checking all boxes.”
Non -traditional is something Kaulig Racing carries like an honorary emblem. It’s a young team that debuted in 2016 in the XFinity series – less than 10 years ago. As Kaulig said, his team didn’t even have a racing shop when it started.
But driven by a new challenge, the 52-year-old entrepreneur who built his roof pipe protection business, Leaffilter, burns into a company of several dollars out of his garage. His love for racing has only grown since Leaffilter sponsored a vehicle – to the point where Kaulig Racing was started. The team can now boast of 27 XFinity Wins and two Cup Series victories.
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“I don’t know how many teams in Nascar’s history have won in all three series,” Kaulig said. “So it’s a really big goal for me and our organization. It’s like, ‘OK, we’ve shown that we can compete even at the cup level. We show that we can win a few championships in the season in XFinity.’ We win again and are also successful in these series, but to do it in the truck series now with Ram and bring all the excitement and drama that comes with it, it’s fun.
What does this perfect synergy do with Kaulig Racing and RAM? Kaulig expressed it mute.
“It’s American Bada-,” he said smiling.
Kaulig Racing’s aggressive approach on the business side attracted to RAM, but on the performance side, team president Chris Rice, who has experience in operating truck series -Teams, feels the same.
It’s “Kaulig Way” and it means doing things differently than other teams in the garage. Rice expressed it perfectly as he referred to Kaulig’s business -covering motto.
Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing, and team president Chris Rice talks on the pit during the NASCAR race. (Kaulig Racing)
“If you don’t grow, you die,” Rice told Pakinomist Digital. “It’s a kind of motto we’re talking about. Just to be able to be in the truck series on Friday or Thursday when they run is good. Getting our name out there, kaulig racing, it’s great for our company and for what Matt does. This is what he believes in being an entrepreneur. They tell us we can’t do it? Let us show them.”
Having up to five trucks to work with can be a massive challenge, especially for a team like Kaulig Racing that breaks into the new series. But once again, challenge is something this group takes head-on, and Rice knows the main factor to make sure this operation runs smoothly.
“It boils down to people, and the way we do it in Kaulig Racing is that we are family,” he said. “Everyone is working on everything. You are not on a cup team, you are not on the XFinity team. With this you are not just on the truck team, you are at the Kaulig Racing team.
“Kaulig -road is tough because we are aggressive. You have to believe it, you have to eat what you need to breathe what you need to sleep it.”
Rice has lived up to these words, worked long hours and collaboration with Kaulig, Norris and everyone to get the right people in place to be ready to compete in February 2026. However, the reason for the long hours is to understand what it means for Kaulig Racing to be with RAM.
There is a weight of responsibility – one they do not take for granted.
“We need to present ourselves correctly and there is a lot of responsibility to carry this brand with us,” Norris said. “… When a company this size, a large American company in the blue collar approach to everything, there is a responsibility to take this brand and reintroduce it to the NASCAR fan base.”
Debut Look at New Kaulig Racing RAM 1500 Truck, which will be used in 2026 Craftsman Truck Series. (Kaulig Racing)
Kaulig added, “It’s more fun for me than it’s responsibility. We are full of responsibility and full of responsible people, so I’m not worried about that part of it. It’s just the fun of building a business.”
The Kaulig Racing team knows, from top to bottom, the challenges and the obstacles that lie ahead of us. But the excitement of working with RAM and hopefully getting into Victory Lane next year is what excites this budding team.
“This is about family, everything about fun and everything about winning races,” Rice said. “That’s what we want to get back to: Winning running and trophy hunting. It’s just a new era of trophy hunting in the truck series.”
