Kaulig Racing promotes Chris Rice to CEO ahead of important 2026 season

A promotion for Chris Rice over at Kaulig Racing sets the organization up for the challenging 2026 NASCAR season ahead. Rice has been with Kaulig for this entire ride, which reaches a decade in 2026, and now he is the man at the top.

Matt Kaulig, Founder and Team Owner, has had a lot of faith in Chris Rice over the years. The two are almost synonymous. When you see one, the other isn’t far away most of the time.

With a great South Boston, Virginia accent and a passion for the sport, Rice has the charisma and energy to get the job done. He’s proven that so far, as he has helped guide Kaulig into a legitimate Xfinity and Cup Series organization.

“Chris Rice is the real deal,” Matt Kaulig said in a press release. “From his early days on pit road to President and now CEO of Kaulig Racing, his journey reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion that define his sport. Chris was with me from the very beginning, helping build Kaulig Racing from the ground up, and his leadership has been instrumental in shaping the culture and success of our team. I’m proud to call him a partner, a leader, and a friend.”

Chris Rice is now overseeing the entire competition and business operations of Kaulig Racing. Next season is going to be major for the organization as they plan to field five brand-new Ram Trucks in the NASCAR Truck Series. A massive undertaking.

We will likely see less of a presence, or an exit from the Xfinity Series. But the Cup Series program will remain. The Truck Series program introduces a set of new challenges. Rice will be in charge of that and more.

Kaulig Racing enters new, crucial era for organization

As Chris Rice is promoted to CEO of Kaulig Racing, the Truck Series season is on the horizon. But it is about more than just this season. Of course, Rice and Kaulig have to get the right drivers in those five seats. Ram Trucks is allegedly footing the bill for all five teams, so sponsorship shouldn’t really be a factor.

However, there is branding and marketability to consider regardless of sponsorship. Even if these are all factory-sponsored trucks, introducing Ram Trucks to NASCAR again is about more than racing, as much as I hate to say that. We should know who those drivers will be soon.

This deal with Ram Trucks complicates things for Kaulig Racing with Chevrolet. But it won’t be that big of a deal. Truck Series trucks all use Ilmor engines and the nose and tail are really the only differences on those vehicles. But if this goes well for Kaulig, they could be setting themselves up for a promotion in the Cup Series.

Right now, Kaulig gets engines from ECR/RCR. They have a partnership with RCR and work out of the Welcome campus. They are nowhere near he top when it comes to Chevy teams. They are definitely a second-tier or even third-tier organization. They are hoping to parlay this Truck Series deal into being the premier team for Dodge or whatever Stellantis brand comes to Cup in 2027, 2028, or beyond. There is a lot at stake in these next few years for Kaulig Racing.