Kaulig Racing
Founded: 2016 | Headquarters: Lexington, North Carolina Owner: Matt Kaulig | Manufacturer: Chevrolet (Cup), Ram (Trucks)
Overview
Kaulig Racing is a NASCAR organization that built its reputation in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and has since expanded into both the Cup Series and — as of 2026 — the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Founded by LeafFilter founder and entrepreneur Matt Kaulig, the team grew from a single Xfinity entry in 2016 into a multi-series operation that has become one of the more distinctive stories in the garage.
O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Legacy
The O'Reilly Series program is where Kaulig Racing made its name. In ten seasons of full-time competition, the team won 27 races — headlined by A.J. Allmendinger, who earned back-to-back regular-season championships in 2021 and 2022 and finished third in the 2024 championship standings. Kaulig also developed drivers like Justin Haley (now in the Truck Series with the team) and gave multiple young drivers their first national-series opportunities.
For 2026, Kaulig paused its O'Reilly Series program to redirect resources toward the Truck Series expansion. The pause is described as temporary, but the team's strategic focus has shifted.
NASCAR Cup Series (2026)
Kaulig fields two chartered Cup entries:
- No. 10 — Ty Dillon (crew chief: Andrew Dickeson)
- No. 16 — A.J. Allmendinger (crew chief: Trent Owens)
Both drivers returned to full-time Cup competition after part-time 2024 schedules. Allmendinger earned the team's first oval-track Cup pole in 2025, and Dillon made a deep run in the inaugural In-Season Challenge. Grizzly Nicotine Pouches serves as primary sponsor across 27 races for both cars.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2026)
The 2026 Truck Series program is Kaulig's biggest expansion — a five-truck fleet built from scratch in partnership with Ram, marking the manufacturer's return to the Truck Series. The program was announced in late 2025 and represents one of the largest new-team entries in recent Truck Series history.
2026 Truck lineup:
- No. 10 — Corey LaJoie (primary)
- No. 12 — Brenden Queen (Cummins)
- No. 14 — Mini Tyrrell
- No. 16 — Justin Haley
- No. 25 — Rotating drivers (flagship entry)
Queen — the 2024 CARS Tour LMSC champion and 2025 ARCA champion — was announced as the program's first driver, a signal of how Kaulig views the short-track-to-national-series pipeline.
Why Kaulig Matters to GNT
Kaulig sits at the intersection of the stories Grand National Today covers. Its O'Reilly Series legacy connects to the series' competitive history. Its Truck program employs a CARS Tour champion. And its Cup operation runs two full-time cars with a roster that has spent years in the series GNT covers most closely. When Kaulig was competing in the O'Reilly Series, it was a championship-caliber team. Whether it returns to the series — and what it looks like when it does — is an ongoing storyline.