What’s Happening?

With plans to field five full-time trucks during the 2026 season, Kualig Racing and Ram have a lot of hiring to do. But, most important of all is the driver, and with the support of Ram, Kaulig has a chance to give some overlooked names a seat in the spotlight.

Ram’s Return to NASCAR is one of the best stories of 2026. While the brand has yet to take the track, the OEM has maintained a top spot in the NASCAR rumor mill, with talks about what teams could switch, what drivers could be signed, and what the future holds.

Ultimately, as of press time, Ram is throwing their support to one team, Kaulig Racing, which will maintain their relationship with Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series, while seemingly launching their truck team as its own initiative.

As part of this deal, the team will field five full-time trucks, with rumors suggesting one will be an All-Star truck, another will be a special truck for the winner or winners of a reality TV show, and the other three will be for full-time drivers like rumored candidate Daniel Dye.

While the participants on this TV show will likely be short track drivers, there are other cars to fill. With the support of Ram, Kaulig has a chance to bring in overlooked drivers outside of NASCAR. But who are some of these candidates, and who should the team look at to fill a seat?

Landen Lewis

For fans of late model racing, Landen Lewis is one of the most well-known names in the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. Right now, Lewis sits first in CARS Tour LMSC standings and has an impressive four wins, six top fives, and eight top tens in 12 starts.

While these are standout stats for a driver only 19 years old, Lewis has experience racing at a national touring level. In 2023 and 2024, Lewis made a combined six Craftsman Truck Series starts with Roper Racing and Hattori Racing Enterprises, though he finished no higher than 24th. He is a winner in the ARCA Menards Series and has a 7.5 average finish in the series.

Doug Barnes Jr.

Doug Barnes Jr. may not pop off the stat sheet, currently sitting ninth in CARS Tour LMSC standings, but his name is well known in the short track racing world for his content creation.

His YouTube channel, AirDoug, has over 60,000 subscribers, thanks in part to some viral moments, such as flying off the track into a field during the CARS Tour race at Cordele Motor Speedway or cannonballing the hood of a fellow driver after a wreck in 2020.

His online presence, combined with the consistency he has shown in one of the most competitive series in the country, makes him a great fit for Ram both on and off the track.

Connor Hall

Connor Hall may be the fan favorite pick to get a ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this coming season. The 28-year-old currently sits second in points, just one point behind Lewis, and if that wasn’t enough, he drives JR Motorsports’ flagship late model, the No. 88.

Hall is also another driver on this list with Truck Series experience, making his debut with McAnally–Hilgemann Racing last fall at Richmond, bringing the No. 91 home in tenth. While there aren’t many rumors as to where he could go next year, Dale Earnhardt Jr recently confirmed on The Dale Jr Download that Hall is leaving the No. 88 to pursue a full-time truck ride in 2026.

Luke Baldwin

Of all the drivers on this list, 19-year-old Luke Baldwin is tied for the most career starts in the Craftsman Truck Series. So far this year, the son of former team owner and crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr has made four part-time starts with ThorSport Racing.

Baldwin’s average finish in those starts was 19.3. However, unlike the rest of this list, he did not make his name in late models but rather in the modified ranks as the 2024 SMART Modified Tour Champion.

While Baldwin may be a little rough around the edges, he is early in his Truck Series career. As Ram and their parent company, Stellantis, build the foundations for a developmental ladder for their future Cup teams, presumably running Dodges in 2027 or 2028, Baldwin is the type of young driver they could develop end-to-end.

Brendan Queen

At 27 years old, Brendan ‘Butterbean’ Queen may no longer be considered an overlooked talent, but, prior to his success in ARCA, where he is the current points leader with six wins, he served as a great example of overlooked short-track talent. Alongside major wins at short tracks across the country, Queen capped it all off last fall, winning the illustrious CARS Late Model Stock Championship.

Of course, Queen seems like a shoo-in on this list, as the NASCAR Silly Season rumor mill suggests that he is a top candidate to race full-time with Kaulig, alongside other teams in the Chevrolet camp. Nonetheless, if Ram wants to get their hands on a driver who is experienced, with even more room to grow, Queen might be the best candidate of all.

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