Things have been a bit chaotic at Kaulig Racing lately, to put it mildly. The team sent shockwaves through the NASCAR Xfinity Series on July 25, 2025, when they announced they’d “parted ways” with Josh Williams, the full-time driver of their No. 11 Chevrolet. No clear reason was given, just a vague statement that left fans puzzled.

Word from The Athletic and Frontstretch suggests tensions had been simmering for weeks, with Williams frustrated over the car’s lackluster performance and what he called “a lack of direction” in the program. Known for his gritty, underdog vibe, Williams had been pushing for changes, but it seems the gap between him and the team was too wide to bridge. Now, the No. 11 car becomes a revolving door, with multiple drivers stepping in for one-off stints.

Enter Carson Hocevar, a Cup Series regular with Spire Motorsports, who turned heads by qualifying second at Iowa Speedway in his first Xfinity start for Kaulig. It’s a bright spot for a team that’s been struggling to find its groove. Once a powerhouse with drivers like Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig’s 2025 season has been a rough ride, marked by crew changes, inconsistent results, and now this driver shake-up.

NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass noted on X that midseason moves like this often point to deeper issues, hinting at “philosophical or contractual rifts.” Kaulig’s clearly in a rebuild, and Hocevar’s stepping into a high-pressure spot, promising to bring some much-needed spark.

Hocevar’s not just filling a seat—he’s making bold promises to lift the team’s spirits and get them back on track. Meanwhile, Kaulig’s taking a hard look at their Xfinity program, with big plans to turn things around before the season’s out.

Hocevar on filling the new shoes

Carson Hocevar didn’t hold back in the post-qualifying press session at Iowa, sounding genuinely pumped about his debut with Kaulig’s No. 11: “I was genuinely surprised it had quite a lot of grip. And yeah, I’d heard what they were kind of fighting and what they’re struggling with, and felt like I was able to give him at least a decent direction throughout the week, and I unloaded and had to tune on it some, but I was fairly happy, especially with my qualifying lap.”

That second-place qualifying run was no fluke. Hocevar came in knowing Kaulig’s car had been off the pace, but he worked closely with the crew all week, tweaking setups based on Iowa’s freshly repaved surface, which offered more grip than expected. His lap was a statement, putting Kaulig in their best starting spot in months and showing he could adapt fast despite limited Xfinity experience, just six career starts, with a best of sixth at Darlington in 2023. His input gave the team a direction they’d been missing, and that qualifying result was a morale boost for a squad desperate for one.

He kept the optimism flowing: “I was really happy at the end of practice. I was really happy, so it’s it’s nice to get a call, and you know try and hopefully push the other two guys you know help their program a little bit and I’d ultimately you know, I didn’t know we were going to if we’re going to fight for a win or could run up front. But you know, based on this, I think we could at least have a strong day, which would be a lot of fun.”

Hocevar’s not just talking about his race; he’s aiming to lift Kaulig’s whole program. His simulator work and short-track savvy from Cup races at places like Richmond helped him gel with crew chief Alex Yontz, who praised his feedback as a game-changer. With teammates Daniel Hemric and AJ Allmendinger struggling for pace, Hocevar’s goal is to set a tone, maybe even push them toward playoff contention. Qualifying second and running strong in practice has him eyeing a top finish, something Kaulig hasn’t seen much of lately. His promise of a “strong day” is about more than points; it’s about giving a team in flux a reason to believe again.

Kaulig Racing to “Judge and Grade” Xfinity series program

Kaulig Racing’s not just swapping drivers—they’re hitting the reset button. After parting ways with Josh Williams, team president Chris Rice told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio they’re using the next few weeks to “judge and grade” their Xfinity program, aiming to get back to their winning ways.

“When you look at the next four weeks, there are some opportunities to go and judge and grade the Xfinity program,” Rice said, shutting down rumors the program’s folding with a firm, “It’s not shutting down, that’s our cornerstone.” He’s got his eyes on recapturing the magic that saw Kaulig average 4.6 wins a season from 2019 to 2023, a far cry from their one in-house win in 2024 and none so far in 2025.

Rice laid it out: “We’ve got to get our Xfinity program back to where we’re contending for wins and trophy hunting and doing different things like that.” Starting with Carson Hocevar at Iowa, Kaulig’s rotating drivers through the No. 11 for the final 12 races, testing talent like 2024 Supercars champ Will Brown at Portland. Williams’ exit came after a tough stretch, zero top fives and just two top 10s in 2025, with the team sitting 19th in points.

Even with rookies Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes, who have three top fives, the team is outside the top 15 in standings. Rice even admitted they considered adding a fourth car before cutting Williams loose. Hocevar’s P2 qualifying run is a start, but Kaulig’s got work to do to rebuild their rep as Xfinity heavyweights, and this driver carousel is their shot to find the right spark.