In less than a year, the spotlight on one NASCAR team has magnified. While the major focus of Kaulig Racing has been in the Cup and Xfinity Series, Trucks are now its selling point. That is because RAM, a sister company of Dodge under Stellantis, is returning to the sport. Behind the reins of this turning point in NASCAR is an influential personality at Kaulig, and his dramatic racing background plays a significant role in his current standing.
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Matt Kaulig, founder and team owner, proudly called this individual “the real deal” in 2025.
Kaulig Racing’s new leader divulges his lesser-known history with racing
“Well, I was 310 pounds, something like that,” Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice said on The Bean Nation Podcast. “That’s a big guy to go drive right? Another thing is all the money I’ve made with the saddlers I saved up, but I’m spending it trying to keep up with the Joneses and trying to race good. And I’ll tell my dad and uncle built me really good mini stocks. I raced mini stocks, and I raced those late model trucks… and I won a lot of races at South Boston, New River.”
In late September 2025, Kaulig Racing promoted Rice from President to Chief Executive Officer. This marked a major milestone in his career, during which he juggled many roles. From working on pit road to handling leadership roles overseeing 18 drivers, Rice has done a lot. However, we did not know his racing habits with his family’s cars. Yet he let slip how he decided to take a risky step forward from that career path.
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I sat down with Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice to talk about racing roots, career moves, and the foundation behind Kaulig.
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“We probably won over 60% of the races we entered, which was cool, but my dad’s cars were so good, put a lot of effort into it, wasn’t me,” Rice continued. “But I enjoyed that to the point where I was almost broke, and I was like, ‘Can’t do this, I’m gonna run my mom and dad broke, I’m gonna run anything, I’m not going have a life.’ So it’s time to figure out how to become a crew chief or somebody to run a business, and that is what I did.”
That small decision proved monumental in Rice’s career. Presently, he has been an instrumental force in aligning Kaulig Racing with RAM. As the CEO, he oversees all aspects of the team’s competition and business operations, driving the organization forward as it builds on its established success in NASCAR.
In the 10 years of racing in the Xfinity Series, Kaulig Racing secured 27 victories using drivers like Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Shane van Gisbergen, and Justin Haley. They also clinched 141 top-5 finishes and 336 top-10 finishes. However, they took another leap of faith under Rice, focusing entirely on the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026.
And Rice’s invaluable leadership is paying dividends.
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Chris Rice has already helped to rope in a popular sponsor
In 2026, Kaulig Racing is hosting five RAM trucks. And already, the hype about those sweet rides could be no less. Recently, Mopar was named as the primary sponsor for the No. 10 RAM 1500, driven by Daniel Dye. Mopar’s resume boasts 319 victories and 7 championships in the NASCAR Cup Series with Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge entries. Other major engineering feats involve the HEMI V-8 powerplants and winged aero cars that influenced road-going muscle cars.
“Mopar has grown and evolved over more than 88 years to become synonymous with factory-designed and factory-backed performance parts that enhance speed and handling on the street and the race track,” said Darren Bradshaw, Senior Vice President of Mopar North America. “So, making a return to NASCAR and competing for race wins with Kaulig Racing and RAM is where our brand belongs.”
The No. 10 Mopar RAM 1500 will make its first on-track appearance at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13.
With a robust 2026 plan ahead, Chris Rice’s plate is full. Let’s wait and see how he and his team navigate this season.
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