The news that Kaulig Racing will field the new Ram Trucks team has Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinking about drivers for the group. Chris Rice and Matt Kaulig are undertaking an immense task by bringing Ram back to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
On top of that, Kaulig and Ram have between now and February to get race-ready. That sounds like a lot of time, and maybe it is, but Daytona will be here before we know it, folks.
On the Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt talked about the Truck Series news. A fourth manufacturer is exciting.
“I think that, I believe, that they’ll be some – you know, I think there will be a process of trying to like get that thing up to speed, but apparently, I mean, the motor is spec,” Dale Jr. said. “So, can the Dodge power plant do X, Y, and Z? That’s another question for the Cup Series down the road when Dodge gets there. So, the motor’s covered.
“Basically, they’re just going to take a bunch of trucks. They’ll build some new trucks, maybe buy some trucks from Spire, whatever, and cut the nose and tail off them and go racing. And they’ll be fine. I bet that nose is a little different. But is it worse, better? It’s probably not a big deal at some tracks, particularly the truck.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is happy to see Ram in the Truck Series again. But who is going to drive those trucks?
“The truck announcement is great, Kaulig, great, five trucks, all those things, yes. Motor down the road. My mind goes to, who do they put behind the wheel of those trucks? So, I would be looking at the Xfinity Series for a couple drivers that are young, that look like they have real potential, that are also looking for opportunity.
“I would be calling every one of those young drivers in the Xfinity Series. I would also be looking at the CARS Tour, I would be looking at local regional champions. We have Connor Hall in our Late Model Stock car. I’d be calling Connor to see if he wanted to come drive a truck. He’s a two-time national champion, drives our Late Model Stock car.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees opportunity for young drivers
Not only is there an opportunity for Kaulig Racing and Ram Trucks, but there is also an opportunity waiting for young drivers out there. Five drivers will represent Ram. Who will it be?
“Dodge is going to be a Cup team in the next year or two. If you jump into one of their five trucks and you go out there and win races, you have firmly supplanted yourself as their future,” Dale Jr. said. “They can’t deny it, no one could. … They’re going to go, well the logical next step is this guy is going to go into our Cup program. … I would be knocking the door down over at Kaulig, trying to get to Chris Rice and Ty Norris to see what opportunity would be there for me if I was a young driver looking for a chance.”
While many teams take the biggest check, Ram Trucks is apparently funding this venture completely. It also needs to see results immediately. So, they will grab the best talent they can find.
“This won’t be a bring money to race,” Dale Jr. said. “You know, ain’t an owner in the series hat is going to turn down a couple million bucks when you walk in the door, but this deal right here, you won’t have to have it. … Ram’s going to pour money into it.”
I have to think that Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes could be involved. Both of those drivers have Cup aspirations, and perhaps working with Ram is how they get it done. Dye and Eckes currently race for Kaulig in Xfinity. Then you have a wealth of talent to choose from after that.
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