Before the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway this weekend, Kaulig Racing driver AJ Allmendinger discussed his possible involvement in the team’s new Truck Series program featuring the return of RAM as an OEM. The truck manufacturer announced on August 23 that it will rejoin the Craftsman Truck Series alongside Kaulig Racing starting in the 2026 season, with debut plans involving five trucks.
The announcement was made at Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM dealership in Daytona, Florida, owned by Daniel Dye’s father. While the team has yet to reveal the official drivers for this new effort, the media asked Allmendinger if he would be part of the initiative. The Cup Series driver, who currently pilots the #16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, responded straightforwardly, stating,
“I’ll drive whatever Chris [Rice] and Matt [Kaulig] want me to drive.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing driver
In a related conversation, Freddie Kraft, the spotter for Bubba Wallace, mentioned Daniel Dye and Butterbean as two prospects considered for the new trucks. Kaulig Racing presently fields two cars in the Cup Series, with Allmendinger in the #16 Chevy and Ty Dillon in the #10 Chevy. The team also competes in the Xfinity Series with rookies Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes driving the #10 and #16 Chevys, respectively.
Reflecting on Early Challenges in Stock Car Racing
In a recent interview with Motorsports.com ahead of the race in Mexico City, AJ Allmendinger spoke candidly about the difficulties he encountered in the early stages of his stock car career. The 43-year-old began competing in the NASCAR Cup Series with Team Red Bull Racing, driving the #84 Dodge in his rookie year and transitioning to the #84 Toyota in his second season.
Allmendinger experienced numerous DNQs (Did Not Qualify) and found it challenging to adapt from open-wheel racing to stock cars. He described the experience as akin to relearning fundamental skills while facing intense competition, noting that between 50 to 56 cars often attempted to qualify for races during that period.
He shared his thoughts:
“was almost trying to learn how to walk again. And I kind of got shoved right into it with Red Bull. I would never change it, but I didn’t have any experience in stock car racing. And they went right to the Cup. We probably were trying to do it in, I wouldn’t say the most competitive era, but it definitely had the most cars right there. In my first two years, we had 50 to 56 cars trying to qualify for the race every week. So that was difficult.”
—AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Current Performance and Team Focus
AJ Allmendinger currently ranks 21st in the Cup Series standings with 516 points after missing the playoffs for the 2025 season. Throughout this year, he has accumulated five top-ten finishes, including a notable fourth-place result at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kaulig Racing continues to build its presence across NASCAR’s top tiers, managing competitive entries in the Cup and Xfinity Series and preparing for the upcoming Truck Series expansion in partnership with RAM.
The development of Kaulig Racing’s Truck Series program represents a significant expansion for the team and the manufacturer’s renewed commitment to the series. If Allmendinger becomes involved, it could add depth to their driver roster and enhance their competitive edge heading into 2026.
