Kaulig Racing’s Risky Truck Series Gamble Leaves NASCAR Insider Skeptical

Kaulig Racing’s announcement of a five-truck entry into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series raised eyebrows across the sport. Known for deliberate, steady growth in Xfinity and Cup, Kaulig’s sudden decision to expand into Trucks at this scale feels like a risky gamble. The team will now juggle nine full-time entries across three national series, a massive operational stretch rarely attempted in modern NASCAR.

While the bold move signals commitment and ambition, insiders remain unconvinced. Many see Kaulig’s Truck Series leap less as a calculated step forward and more as a gamble that could test its limits in resources, staffing, and sustainability.

All-in or overloaded? Doubts swirl inside the garage

When the news dropped, it sparked a mix of admiration and doubt. On one side, Kaulig Racing is signaling serious commitment, going all-in with an unprecedented five-truck debut that would immediately make it one of the largest players in the Truck Series. But as veteran reporter Jeff Gluck put it, caution might outweigh celebration: “I’m really torn on this…”

He continued, “I think it’s great that they wanna make a big investment, a big splash… but I’m also sort of skeptical. You see multi-car teams, and how many of them… to get five, that’s a big reach,” he further added, “It’s a big step. Even if you have the money to do it, the amount of personnel, ramping up the resources it takes… that’s really challenging. It’s very ambitious.”

That executional strain of bringing in enough competitive personnel, equipment, and drivers is where many see the red flags forming.

Freddie Kraft, spotter and podcast host, broke down the math: between Kaulig’s two Cup cars, two Xfinity cars, and now five trucks, the team would stretch to nine total full-season entries housed under one organization. That scale is nearly unheard of for a relatively young outfit still carving its identity among powerhouse teams.

Tommy Baldwin, himself a team owner, emphasized the hidden complexity: “It’s all about people… you don’t hire a bunch of people and it works right away. You have to mix people up, change things, hire, get rid of people. There’s gonna be a lot happening over the next five, six months just trying to find the synergy.”

Beyond staffing, equipment alignment poses another hurdle. Kaulig has Cup and Xfinity ties through Chevrolet, yet its Truck Series program is expected to run under Ram (Dodge) branding. “How are they gonna separate the Dodge/Chevy stuff?” Baldwin asked. “How are they gonna build so many trucks so fast?”

Adding to the uncertainty is the driver lineup itself. The early names circulating include Daniel Dye, fan-favorite “Butterbean” Mason Diaz, and potential involvement in what’s been dubbed a “Gong Show” evaluation format for young drivers. But much of the intrigue surrounds whether Kaulig could run Cup-affiliated names in Trucks, despite entanglements with Chevy contracts.

AJ Allmendinger, Shane van Gisbergen, and Ty Dillon are tied to Chevrolet-backed Cup programs, raising questions of how—or if—they could slot into Ram-branded trucks.

Kraft summarized the confusion bluntly: “Can they really have an All-Star truck? With who? Isn’t AJ under contract with Chevy? I don’t know how that works.” This swirl of logistical, contractual, and staffing challenges leaves the garage divided.

For all the buzz around Kaulig Racing’s energy and investment, the reality is that ambition doesn’t always equal execution. Unless the organization finds a way to streamline its manufacturer alignments, secure the right talent, and avoid spreading itself dangerously thin, the five-truck rollout could just as easily expose weaknesses as showcase strength. And that possibility is exactly what fuels insider skepticism.

Insiders’ bold statement against the NASCAR schedule 2026

The 2026 NASCAR schedule has sparked fierce debate among fans and insiders alike, centering on several bold changes that blend nostalgia with risk. Central to the controversy is the decision to move Watkins Glen to early May, a change veteran journalist Jordan Bianchi called a “disservice to the fans” in the northeast who have long supported the track even during attendance slumps.

Bianchi explained, “You kinda start running out of different options” when it comes to scheduling, but admitted the move was a gamble NASCAR is taking. Similarly, Jeff Gluck expressed skepticism about the timing, saying, “I don’t think the fans up there are going to be very interested.” He noted the strong camping culture at Watkins Glen, which thrives in summer but not in early May or on Mother’s Day weekend when the race will now take place.

The schedule also marks the much-anticipated return of Chicagoland Speedway after a seven-year absence, alongside North Wilkesboro Speedway hosting its first points race since 1996. The All-Star Race will shift to Dover Motor Speedway, but this decision has drawn mixed reactions, given Dover’s lack of permanent lights, meaning the event will be held in daylight.

While the schedule attempts to honor NASCAR’s rich heritage, it also introduces innovation, such as a new street race at the Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, set for Father’s Day weekend.

Fans worry that the makeover could alienate loyal attendees, as Bianchi and Gluck highlighted through their critiques. Yet, NASCAR is treading a fine line trying to appeal to new audiences while respecting tradition. As this veteran commentary reveals, the 2026 schedule embodies both opportunity and uncertainty for the sport’s future.