Teams across the top three NASCAR series are putting plans in place for the 2022 season, adding partners for their top drivers. Kaulig Racing, however, will lose a key sponsor. Nutrien AG Solutions will end its three-year relationship with the NASCAR team, per a report.
According to AP News, Nutrien AG will not expand with Kaulig as the organization prepares to field cars in both the Xfinity and Cup Series. The company funds 19 races for Jeb Burton’s No. 10 Kaulig Chevrolet Camaro, including his runner-up finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway behind Kyle Busch on July 10.
The AP News report noted that the lack of Nutrien AG’s support during the 2022 season could shake up the Xfinity Series roster. Kaulig Racing could shelve one of its three teams while also fielding two Cup Series cars for the first time. The team currently has two full-time drivers set for the season while questions remain about others.
Kaulig Racing Has Big Plans for the 2022 Season
The Xfinity Series team revealed during a special June 20 press conference at Nashville Superspeedway that it will go Cup racing during the 2022 season with driver Justin Haley moving up to the top series and taking on a full, 36-race schedule. Meanwhile, championship contender AJ Allmendinger will remain as a full-time Xfinity Series driver while making limited starts in the second Cup car.
Team owner Matt Kaulig and president Chris Rice did not provide very much information about the upcoming season. They didn’t reveal whether Burton will return to the Xfinity Series in 2022 or if he will join Allmendinger as a part-time driver in the second Cup Series car while hunting trophies.
Burton is currently in the midst of his first full-time season with Kaulig Racing, and he has exceeded expectations. Along with his win at Talladega Superspeedway, he has 15 top-10 finishes and seven top-fives. He has continued to contend for the win, taking on some of the biggest names in the series.
Recent Rumors Surfaced About Kaulig’s 2022 Plans
The racing organization has remained the center of discussions in recent days for multiple reasons. Prior to the report that Nutrien AG will end its three-year partnership with Kaulig, rumors surfaced surrounding a pending Cup Series free agent.
Wood Brother Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto turned heads on Sept. 12 with a tweet about Kaulig Racing. “The news floating around that I signed with Kaulig Racing for next year is false,” DiBenedetto tweeted. “Not sure how the rumor got started but I keep getting a ton of texts about it so I had to clear that up.”
The driver of the No. 21 is currently examining his options for the 2022 season. He will lose his spot with Wood Brothers Racing after Xfinity driver Harrison Burton replaces him in the stock car, ending a relationship that began in 2020 and will have spanned 72 races by the end of the 2021 season.
DiBenedetto does not have any set plans for the upcoming season just yet, but he remains open to multiple possibilities. Joining Kaulig Racing could be a possibility if both parties expressed interest in the idea. However, the veteran driver made it clear that the rumors circulating on social media are not true.
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Kaulig Racing Loses Key Sponsor for 2022 Season