Just a couple of months ago, Kaulig Racing announced that Daniel Hemric would be taking the wheel of the No. 31 Camaro ZL1 in the Cup Series. On top of that, Dale Earnhardt Jr. confirmed that Ty Dillon would be joining the team, driving the No. 16 as a fill-in for A.J. Allmendinger, who will be demoted to the Xfinity Series. While Hemric’s talent is not unknown since he clinched the Xfinity Series title back in 2021, Ty Dillon’s track record for 2023 isn’t looking quite as stellar. In fact, some fans have even started to murmur that Kaulig Racing might not be playing to win by bringing Ty Dillon on board.

The sentiment was echoed recently by none other than NASCAR Cup Series luminary Dale Earnhardt Jr. In his recent podcast episode, Junior didn’t mince words about his doubts regarding Kaulig Racing’s performance in the upcoming season. However, he openly voiced his skepticism about the team’s chances for a successful run, reflecting the concerns of many fans.

Dale Earnhardt Jr recently reminisced about the rough ride that No. 31 and No. 16 had 

The season had been a bumpy road for AJ Allmendinger at No. 31 and Justin Haley at No. 16. The former managed a single win in 26 races, along with four top-5 and seven top-10 finishes. On the other hand, Haley only scraped into the top 5 once and made the top 10 six times. But things hit rock bottom for Kaulig Racing at the final playoff race in Phoenix, where both cars lagged behind, finishing way past P25.

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To stir the pot even more, Kaulig Racing decided to swap Allmendinger with Ty Dillon, who didn’t have a single win, top-5, or top-10 finish in the entire 2023 season. This move has raised eyebrows about the team’s prospects for 2024.

Dale Earnhardt Jr didn’t hold back his thoughts on this, as he pointed out, “Daniel Hamrick is coming into the cup series with Kaulig and Ty Dillon’s going over to run the 2nd car. And so those cars struggled so badly at Phoenix. I mean it was not good. I think this is going to be a very difficult year from the cup side for Kaulig Racing.”

But that’s not the end of Kaulig Racing’s reshuffling. While Justin Haley shocked many by announcing his move to Rick Ware Racing instead of sticking with Matt Kaulig’s team for 2024, there’s buzz that the DGM Racing driver will be joining Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity team. So, it looks like there are more changes in store for the team as they gear up for the next season.

Matt Kaulig rolled the dice and brought Josh Williams on board to steer the No. 11 Chevrolet

On November 16, Kaulig Racing dropped this news, also revealing that Alloy Employer Services, a long-time ally in the career of Josh Williams, will be front and center as the lead sponsor for the year. Williams, previously with DGM Racing, has notched up 11 top-10s since 2019. This move towards Kaulig Racing for Josh Williams is like jumping from the minor leagues to the majors. The expectations are certainly high; he’ll need to shift gears and aim for the winner’s circle once he gets the hang of Kaulig’s setup.

In 2023, Williams turned heads, not just on the track but off it as well. His moment of defiance at Atlanta Motor Speedway sent his popularity through the roof. Even though he faced a one-race suspension, Josh Williams spun this incident to his advantage, using the spotlight to fundraise for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

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So, what’s the verdict on this switch-up? Will this be the ace up Kaulig Racing’s sleeve for their 2024 season? Only time will tell if the new hands they’re playing will pay off.