What’s Happening?

Derek Kraus and Kaulig Racing announced on Thursday that Kraus would drive in the NASCAR Cup Series in the #16 car for six races in 2024. His first race will be Las Vegas, with the following races including both races at Phoenix, spring races at Kansas and Darlington, and Gateway in June.

• Derek Kraus is a 23-year-old from Strafford, Wisconsin. He has 3 full-time seasons of experience in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but, he has not been full-time in NASCAR since 2022. He spent 2023 racing part-time for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series, recording 3 top-10s in 8 races.
• The addition of Kraus means there are now 4 confirmed drivers in the Kaulig Racing All-Star #16 Cup Series car for 2024. A.J. Allmendinger raced at the Daytona 500 with Josh Williams racing at the Clash. SVG will pilot the entry for 7 races.
• Fans are curious to see how Kraus performs. While he has had some good moments, he has yet to win a race in any of NASCAR’s top-3 National Touring Series.