Kaulig Racing was founded by Matt Kaulig, who also serves as owner of the sponsor brand LeafFilter. Before the team found its way into the NASCAR Cup Series, it accumulated years of experience in the Xfinity Series. On January 10, 2020, Kaulig Racing officially announced its entry into the Cup Series, with the goal of competing in the Daytona 500 with car number 16. Justin Haley took the wheel, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and secured a spot in the field with the fastest qualifying time among all non-chartered teams.
A distinctive feature of the team lies in its location: Kaulig Racing’s shop facilities are situated on the grounds of Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, North Carolina. Previously, the team operated from NTS Motorsports facilities. This close spatial connection to one of the series’ most storied teams underscores how quickly Kaulig Racing has established itself in the NASCAR landscape while maintaining its own character as a comparatively young organization.
The team experienced its most intense growth phase between 2020 and 2024. Following Justin Haley’s debut, Kaulig Racing steadily expanded its Cup Series presence, including with Kaz Grala and later with AJ Allmendinger, who piloted car number 13 on road courses in 2024, while Shane van Gisbergen drove the number 16. Allmendinger’s sixth-place finish in his debut at Circuit of the Americas demonstrated the potential within the team when drivers and machinery can showcase their strengths on road courses.
Today, Kaulig Racing is operationally led by Chris Rice, who as CEO is responsible for all sporting and business operations, while Matt Kaulig continues to set the direction as founder and team owner. For the 2026 season, the team is banking on a fixed driver pairing: AJ Allmendinger takes over car number 16, Ty Dillon pilots the number 10. The Cup program is complemented by an extensive Truck Series effort with five vehicles, making Kaulig Racing one of the most broadly based teams in the entire NASCAR landscape and giving it reason to hope for continuity and further growth in the coming season.
Kaulig Racing in the News