What’s Happening?

During a recent interview, Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice reiterated that the team is not shedding its Xfinity Series program; however, it is looking to “scale back” in 2026.

It’s almost a yearly tradition for the NASCAR silly season rumor mill to be packed full of rumors about the future of NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series team Kaulig Racing. Among these rumors this season has been talk of the elimination of Kaulig’s Xfinity Series program, an expansion to the Craftsman Truck Series, and even a relationship with Ram in 2026. 

While the team has not directly said whether they will be joining the truck series or even have a relationship with RAM, Team President Chris Rice said during a recent interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “everybody has had a conversation with those guys.”

During that same interview on Wednesday, Rice once again said that the team is not eliminating its Xfinity series program, stressing that it is where they got their start in NASCAR. “We are not getting rid of our Xfinity Series. I said that last week, and I’m going to say it again. Our Xfinity Series is solid, that’s where we came through.”

This may put an end to the rumors of them shutting down their program for yet another week, but this doesn’t mean more change isn’t on the way. Rice did say there is a probability that the team will scale back down to a two-car operation in 2026. 

“Will we be two cars? Probably. Will we be three cars? Most likely not. We probably will… they’ll scale it back to two cars. We have to have that sponsorship to be able to help us get through the Xfinity Series.” — Chris Rice

If this is the case, it will be the first time since 2023 that the team has fielded just two full-time drivers in the Xfinity Series. Rice did not confirm what cars and what drivers they would field if the team scaled back, though he said that 24-year-old Christian Eckes, who drives the team‘s flagship No. 16, has a “long-term deal with us.”

What Has Kaulig Already Done to Prepare for This?

Kaulig Racing entered the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with high hopes after revamping the program, bringing in two rookies while retaining veteran Josh Williams. 

Those rookies, Eckes and Daniel Dye, exceeded expectations during the 2024 Craftsman Truck Series Season with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. In particular, Eckes made a run at the championship, winning four races and finishing in the top 10 in 22 of 23 outings.

Despite high hopes, specifically for Eckes, the team has underperformed this season. Eckes currently sits fifth in Rookie of the Year standings and 15th in points, while Dye sits seventh in ROY standings and 17th in points.

Most disappointing of all was Williams, the only returning driver from the 2024 campaign. After failing to match his teammates statistically, the team ultimately released Williams 21 races into the season on Jul. 30.

Since Williams’ release, Rice stated that the team would “judge and grade” the program, with drivers like Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, and Justin Haley piloting the driverless No. 11 at the Iowa, Watkins Glen, and Daytona Xfinity Series races.

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