Kaulig Racing will be Ram's team in the 2026 NASCAR Truck Series

Ram has finally found its partner to return to NASCAR. The Stellantis truck division announced on Saturday its alliance with Kaulig Racing to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series starting in February 2026. The announcement was made at the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership, hours before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Matt Kaulig will expand his operations to a third national NASCAR series after competing in the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. The team will carry the Ram colors when the circuit returns to the 2.5-mile oval for the season-opening events next February.

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Search Ended After Three Months

Tim Kuniskis had been clear in June when he revealed the Ram 1500 concept at Michigan International Speedway. The CEO described the situation with a straightforward metaphor: "We're like the kid going to the prom. We have the tuxedo, we have dad's car. We just don't know who our date will be."

The search officially began on June 8th with the announcement of Ram's return to NASCAR. The brand had confirmed its intention to return after a 13-year absence, since Dodge left the category as champion in 2012 with Brad Keselowski and Team Penske.

Kuniskis acknowledged in Michigan that time was running fast and they needed to get moving. "I hope you (the media) stir things up and someone asks us to dance," he had said at the time. The invitation finally came from Kaulig Racing.

Four Trucks for Daytona

Ram will bring at least four units based on the 1500 for the season opener at Daytona. The concept truck revealed in Michigan takes elements from the Sport line (Warlock, Rebel, and RHO) but incorporates specific aerodynamics to compete at over 9,000 rpm.

The truck is painted in glossy black with red details on the lower part and features the new "Symbol of Protest" logo: a mechanical bull that combines the Hemi engine with the ram's head. Direct Connection, Mopar's performance division, also appears on the sides of the vehicle.

The return coincides with the announcement of the comeback of the Hemi 5.7 engine for the 2026 Ram 1500s. "The Hemi is back, so we thought we'd return to racing too," explained Kuniskis during the reveal.

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Truck Series as a Springboard to Cup

Kuniskis sees participation in the Truck Series as the first step towards an eventual return to the Cup Series. To reach the premier category, they would need to use the Dodge brand again, since Ram specializes exclusively in trucks, in addition to developing specific engines for the competition.

John Probst, NASCAR's senior vice president of racing development, had estimated a minimum of 18 months to incorporate a manufacturer into the Cup Series, mainly due to body approval times and engine development.

The numbers support the strategy of starting with trucks: over 40% of NASCAR fans drive pickups, making the Truck Series the perfect showcase for a brand dedicated exclusively to this segment.

Pending Details for the Coming Months

Both Ram and Kaulig Racing indicated that the team structure, driver lineup, and other launch plans will be announced in the coming months. The alliance is part of a broader offensive by Stellantis that includes 25 product announcements in 18 months.

The "Ram-Demption" campaign already shows Kuniskis driving the concept truck at Darlington with the Goodyear blimp flying overhead. NASCAR hasn't welcomed a new manufacturer since Toyota arrived in 2004, and Probst confirmed they will expand the field of 36 trucks if necessary.