Everything We Know About Dodge and Ram’s Return to NASCAR (So Far)
What’s Happening? One major storyline to follow during the 2025 and 2026 NASCAR seasons is the ongoing saga of Dodge and…
One rumor circulating through the NASCAR community currently claims that Kaulig Racing could drastically scale back or even abandon its Xfinity Series program entirely for the 2026 season.
Kaulig Racing is currently in a state of flux. The longtime NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series staple has joined forces with RAM to field five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries next season, causing a domino effect throughout the NASCAR garage.
Although other Xfinity and Cup Series teams have added Truck programs in the past, Kaulig is different, as they do not have the scale resources of a Hendrick Motorsports or Team Penske.
Further adding to their difficulties, the team will likely be stranded on a proverbial island in the coming years as Ram’s sister brand, Dodge, prepares to enter the Cup Series on an unconfirmed timeline, and their alliance with Richard Childress Racing ends at the end of the 2026 season.
Nonetheless, establishing a good relationship with a returning OEM early on is a worthwhile trade-off for the potential complications that may arise in the future.
However, with this massive undertaking, Kaulig is having to quickly adjust to handle what will be the Truck Series’ largest single-team effort in 2026.
Throughout this process, fans have wondered what this expansion could mean for the team’s storied Xfinity Series program, with drivers Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes seemingly facing uncertain futures as the 2025 season draws to a close.
Although there has been a notable absence of updates regarding the program’s future, rumors are starting to emerge that could lead Kaulig to opt for a scaled-back team or to axe the Xfinity program altogether.
According to one well-known rumor mill account, nascarrumornostaliga, “they’re moving all Xfinity employees to their new Truck Series teams.”
What’s Happening? One major storyline to follow during the 2025 and 2026 NASCAR seasons is the ongoing saga of Dodge and…
Rumors that Kaulig could overhaul its Xfinity Series program even existed prior to the announcement of its partnership with RAM at Daytona in August.
These rumors persisted after the announcement and have continued, fueled by concurrent rumors, including those that claim one or both of their NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers could step down to the Truck Series in 2026.
These rumors even endured despite claims from Kaulig CEO Chris Rice, then the organization’s President, during an August 13 interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, in which Rice said:
“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.” — Chris Rice, August 13 on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
During this interview, Rice also said that they will probably scale back to two cars, though that, and his prior statement, much like the organization as a whole, seem to be uncertain if the rumor mill has anything to say about it.
What’s Happening? During a recent interview, Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice reiterated that the team is not shedding its Xfinity Series…
On the surface, if a Kaulig were to cut their Xfinity Series program or go part-time, it would end one of the best underdog stories in series history. The team grew from a one-car underdog in the mid-2010s to a three-car championship-contending organization by 2020.
Regardless, Kaulig’s Xfinity series program has fallen on hard times recently. Though this was partially due to several personnel changes entering this season, including the promotion of Dye and Eckes.
These two drivers are often part of the rumors surrounding Kaulig’s future, with differing rumors claiming they will be a part of the team’s Truck Series plans.
Unfortunately, if this is the case, it would mark a quick return for both drivers, with Eckes coming off a 2024 campaign in which he earned a promotion, scoring 22 top-tens in 23 races, his fourth full-time season in the Truck Series.
Even then, Rice also said during that now infamous SiriusXM interview that Eckes has a long-term deal with the team. So, perhaps we will see Christian Echo racing a Dodge in a NASCAR Cup Series season.
Still, these are just rumors, and until the teams, OEMs, or drivers formally acknowledge or announce them, they should be treated that way.
What’s Happening? With his first season of NASCAR Xfinity Series action wrapping up, the NASCAR rumor mill is suggesting that major…
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Garrett Mitchell, better known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, says his 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule isn’t set in stone, something the YouTube star explained to Dale Earnhardt Jr on the latest episode of The Dale Jr Download.
One of the biggest surprises in recent NASCAR news is that YouTube star Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, will make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut next month at Rockingham Speedway.
Mitchell, who has just won a NASCAR National Series start to his name, will make this start with Richard Childress Racing in their No. 33 car as part of a part-time development contract that will see him make starts in 2026 and 2027.
Per Mitchell, his contract will cover three races per season, though he hinted it could be more in a Facebook post. Nonetheless, fans are eagerly awaiting an official schedule of what other tracks Mitchell and RCR will tackle in 2026.
Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a little longer for this schedule, as the 30-year-old Floridian explained during a recent interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr, his 2026 schedule is still up in the air a month ahead of his first race.
During an interview on the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, Mitchell told Earnhardt that while he plans to race the superspeedways after Rockingham, with his sights set on Talladega’s April 25 or October 24 race weekend, the decision lies in the hands of NASCAR.
“NASCAR said I cannot run Talladega unless I go to Rockingham first and do well,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell then clarified that while he will have a rookie test for Rockingham, the race at Rockingham will determine his eligibility to race at Talladega.
What’s Happening? YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to…
Mitchell, who has two ARCA starts at Daytona and one at Talladega, has already taken a rookie test this season at Rockingham for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Despite a minor crash during this test, Mitchell was cleared to race in the season-opening race at Daytona, crashing himself in a single truck spin five laps into the race, after a valiant qualifying effort.
Even with the barrier of Rockingham in the way, fans are already somewhat concerned about McFarland’s skills, given the result of his short time behind the wheel of a truck.
During this episode of The DJD, Mitchell expressed his intentions to work his way up the ladder and learn, but with the caveat that if an opportunity presents itself to him, he will take it, using the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series as a metaphorical example.
“I don’t want to drive a Cup car right now. But, brother, if someone calls me and says, ‘We got a spot in a Cup car in the Daytona 500?’ I mean, what am I supposed to do?” — Cleetus McFarland
Despite his doubters, with the support of RCR and their developmental tools, Mitchell seems confident about the opportunity, already getting in some sim time with RCR.
Either way, no matter how much support he has in his corner, Mitchell is diving in headfirst once again with this opportunity.
What’s Happening? Despite his internet fame, Garrett Mitchell, by his screen name Cleetus McFarland, has recently taken to stock car racing…
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Lionel has officially opened pre-orders for Garrett Mitchell’s (better known as Cleetus McFarland) first-ever NASCAR diecast.
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YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to race with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the next two seasons.
UPDATE 3:00 PM EST: Per RCR Mitchell will make his debut at Rockingham Speedway on April 4.
What’s Happening? Despite his internet fame, Garrett Mitchell, by his screen name Cleetus McFarland, has recently taken to stock car racing…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
