On Saturday, Kaulig Racing and manufacturer Ram Dodge officially announced a partnership starting with the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The team is looking to field five-factory supported Ram 1500 Trucks starting at Daytona Interntional Speedway in February.
They currently have two Cup Series and three Xfinity Series teams, all under the Chevrolet banner and an alliance with Richard Childress Racing. In June of this year, Ram announced they would be returning to NCTS competition for the first time since 2012.
Kaulig Honored to be Anchor Team
“This partnership represents far more than a new chapter in Kaulig Racing’s history, it’s
a union of shared values,” said Matt Kaulig, owner. “Over the past decade, our team has built a legacy rooted in performance, integrity, and giving back to the community.
“To now join forces as the anchor team for Ram’s return to NASCAR is both an honor and a responsibility. Together, we’re ready to set a new standard on raceday and in the impact we make off the track.”
Through its existence on the track, Kaulig Racing has won twice in the NCS and 27 times in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. This will be its first foray into the NCTS.
“We needed a partner that truly aligns with the Ram brand and embraces our unconventional approach to NASCAR,” said Tim Kuniskis, CEO of the Stellantis owned Ram. “With Kaulig Racing, we found the perfect synergy to drive our ’Last Tenth’ culture forward.”
Any announcements about drivers for the new Ram teams will take place in the future.
Dodge Back Again
This isn’t the first time Dodge has made a return to NASCAR. Its first venture into Stock Car racing took place in 1953 when Lee Petty drove a Dodge Coronet to victory at Palm Beach (FL) Speedway. The following year, he brought Dodge its first championship.
Through the years, Dodge waged war on the track and off with NASCAR. In 1964, Dodge debuted a very dominant 426 Hemi that stomped the competition so bad the sanctioning body banned it the following year.
Petty Enterprises brought Dodge the most success
The Dodge Charger was first raced in 1966 by David Pearson in the Cotton Owens No. 6 car. The Hall of Fame driver won 15 times and the Championship that season.
In 1969, the iconic Dodge Daytona debuted with its unique nose and decklid wing. The following year, Bobby Issac took his famous orange No. 71 Daytona to Victory Lane 11 times to earn his lone title. As more teams started to drive the winning Dodges, NASCAR shut down the “Aero Wars” in 1971 stating the cars design were straying too far away from what was driven on the street.
However, it was Richard Petty who put the manufacturer on the map winning the 1972 (driving both a Dodge and Plymouth), ’74 and ’75 NASCAR titles (Dodge only) in the easily recognized blue No. 43 machine. Overall, Petty is the winningest Dodge driver with 37 trips to Victory Lane for the manufacturer.
Evernham Left Hendrick to Start a Dodge Team
Ray Evernham, the Hall of Fame crew chief for Jeff Gordon, shocked the NASCAR community when he announced his departure from Hendrick Motorsports to start his own team with Dodge.
Evernham Motorsports began its stint in 2001 hiring 1988 champion Bill Elliott for its No. 9 Dodge and Casey Atwood in the No. 19 ride. Once this happened, other teams were convinced Dodge was the way to go as Bill Davis Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Melling Racing and Petty Enterprises made the jump to Dodge.
The manufacturer’s time in NCS had some triumphant moments for several years. However, internal turmoil in some teams and others switching back to other makes ended the Dodge days in 2011.
NASCAR’s Kaulig to Field Dodge Trucks in 2026