Rumor Mill: Veteran Driver Out of Cup Ride at Season’s End

What’s Happening?

As NASCAR Silly Season continues to heat up, the rumor mill is suggesting that another Cup Series veteran could be out of his seat at Kaulig Racing for 2027.

Of the many questions surrounding Kaulig Racing’s 2027 plans, one that is far from overlooked is the team’s lineup.

While driver A.J. Allmendinger is known to be under contract until 2029, with an option that could take him to 2032, second-year driver Ty Dillon’s future with the team is unknown.

Per reports from insiders like Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, Dillon is not under contract for 2027.

On the other hand, CEO Chris Rice has noted that discussions with Dillon were ongoing, saying at San Diego just a few weeks ago:

“We’ve started some conversations with Ty. [There’s] some things going on behind the scenes that we have to work through before we can finish conversations with the ten car.”

Though it seemed that Dillon could be on a path to a third season at Kaulig in 2027, a new rumor making the rounds in the NASCAR community suggests that he could be on his way out.

What’s the Rumor?

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This rumor sparked in a social media post from a well-known NASCAR Rumor Mill social media account. The poster claims that, “Apparently the rumor around the Kaulig shop is that Ty won’t return to the 10 next year. But they also said that last year and he’s still there.”

Of course, as of press time, neither Dillon nor Kaulig has announced any plans for 2027.

Furthermore, as the post points out, this is not the first time that rumors have spread that Dillon was on his way out, as last season, there were short-lived rumors that the No. 10 could be split between a handful of drivers, something Kaulig has done off and on with its flagship No. 16 since its first full-time Cup Series season.

Does this Rumor Make Sense?

So far this season, Dillon has not impressed, though this could be due to one major factor: Kaulig is no longer directly aligned with Chevrolet.

While the team carries Chevrolet badges, they receive no technical support from the brand. This is due to the blossoming relationship with Stellantis brands Dodge and Ram (somewhat) behind the scenes.

This year, Kaulig is fielding five full-time Ram Trucks in the Craftsman Truck Series, all while making way for Dodge to return to the Cup Series, with rumors recently making the rounds that their return could be by 2027.

Still, as many fans have pointed out, Dillon, as the grandson of Richard Childress, is often associated with Chevrolet, and even though he has raced for other OEMs in the past, this has created some theories in online circles.

One theory is that if Dodge does make it to the Cup Series for 2027, then Dillon is out, but if they don’t, and Kaulig runs what is essentially a zombie Chevrolet team in 2027, Dillon will keep his seat.

After all, as Chris Rice said at San Diego, the team has “some things going on behind the scenes that we have to work through before we can finish conversations with the No. 10 car.”

So, if Dillon is out, who could replace him?

Well, some names have already floated out there, specifically from insider Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic. In a recent video speaking about Dodge’s potential 2027 return, Bianchi mentioned that Ram truck drivers Corey LaJoie and Justin Haley could be options for the No. 10.

Regardless, as of press time, neither the team nor any drivers mentioned above have confirmed set plans for 2027.

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