Kaulig Racing has always carried that scrappy underdog vibe, the team that punches above its weight and refuses to stay quiet even when the big dogs expect them to sit in the back. Lately, though, something feels different. The talk coming out of the shop isn’t about surviving another season or patching holes. It is about building something that lasts.

When CEO Chris Rice hopped on the radio this week, he basically laid out a blueprint that left everyone leaning forward. Kaulig is getting ready for a major leap, and the words “in-house engine program” and “Dodge” were floating around the conversation like smoke you can’t quite ignore.

Kaulig Racing lays out a ten-year vision

Chris Rice was straight with everyone. The team is bigger than it has ever been. More people, more equipment, more everything. That means 2025 is probably going to look a little rough on the Cup side while they sort out the growing pains. No sugar coating it, no asking for patience. They know results might lag next year, but the plan isn’t about next year. It is about the ten seasons after that, from 2026 clear through 2035.

That timeline isn’t random. The next big engine platform is coming, hybrids are getting closer, and a fourth manufacturer is expected to jump in before 2027. Rice basically said Kaulig is tired of watching Hendrick, Gibbs, and Penske get the full factory treatment while they scrape by as customers. After eleven years of owner Matt Kaulig pouring money and heart into the sport, the team is ready to stop knocking on the OEM door and start building its own key.

Rice talked openly about falling behind on body hanging and how the shop will work straight through December to fix it. He mentioned hiring a bunch of new engineers. Then he dropped the line that lit the internet up. They are seriously looking at an in-house engine program. He never said Dodge by name, but nobody had to.

For years, Dodge has been the sleeping giant waiting for the right partner, one willing to build a real program instead of piggybacking off someone else’s. A young, hungry, growing team like Kaulig Racing lines up perfectly with everything Dodge has reportedly wanted.

It also makes sense logically. Ram and Dodge share the same parent company, Stellantis, and with Ram already running Kaulig’s Truck program, a Dodge Cup program feels natural.

The message was crystal clear without needing a press release. Kaulig isn’t content being a solid mid-tier operation anymore. They are planting flags for the future, positioning themselves to be the team a returning manufacturer picks when it is time to get serious. Whether that ends up being Dodge or someone else, the intention is the same. Close the gap to the tier one giants and do it on their own terms.

Big dreams mean tough choices, and the hardest one just hit the news wires. Christian Eckes, after one season driving for Kaulig in Xfinity, is heading back to the Truck Series in 2026.

Christian Eckes says goodbye to Kaulig

Eckes will wheel the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally Hilgemann Racing, the same team where he racked up wins and nearly grabbed a championship before.

Christian Eckes wasn’t just another driver on the payroll. He brought speed, consistency, and the kind of quiet professionalism teams love. When Kaulig signed him, it looked like the start of a long-term development story, one of those homegrown talents who climb the ladder inside the same organization. Instead, after a single season, the paths split. McAnally Hilgemann gets a proven winner back in a familiar environment, and Kaulig has to wave goodbye to a piece they clearly valued.

The team made a point to praise Eckes publicly, talking about how much they appreciated his openness and the good conversations they had. They even said they still plan to sit down with him for a proper exit interview. That isn’t the language of a messy breakup. It is the language of a team that hates losing him but understands the bigger picture has to come first.

And the bigger picture is massive. Kaulig keeps talking up the deepening partnership with Ram and Stellantis. They keep hinting at factory-level support down the road. Shane van Gisbergen is moving up fast, A.J. Allmendinger remains the steady anchor, and the team is clearly hunting for the exact mix of talent that fits a decade-long climb.

Letting Eckes go isn’t a setback. It is an adjustment on a roster that is being built to compete with the absolute best, not just hang around the top fifteen.

But if the whispers about Dodge, engines, and real factory backing turn into reality, everyone will look back at moments like this and nod. This is what building something real looks like. One tough call at a time.