Kaulig Racing is revving up for some high-speed changes in the team, and it looks like the pit crew has pulled in some heavy hitters. With a couple of fresh faces steering the ship, the team is ready to shift gears and hit the track with renewed passion for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season—spearheaded by Ty Dillon and AJ Allmendinger’s inclusion in the 2025 Cup Series.

The change includes the two new members moving up on the designation ladder. Additionally, another crew chief is set to reunite with the OG driver for Kaulig’s number 16 Chevrolet Camaro. It’s worth noting here that the extent to which NASCAR drivers and teams go for a win has always been intense. And, from the looks of it, Kaulig Racing seems to be working towards hiring the best talent for the upcoming season.

In September of this year, Kaulig Racing revealed that Dillon will be behind the wheel of the team’s No. 10 Chevrolet for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, replacing David Hemric of number 31, who has moved to the Truck Series. Dillon’s entry into a full-time seat was a surprise considering his performances in 2024 so far. Sharing the No. 16 car for Kaulig with SVG and Allmendinger, Dillon wasn’t able to crack into the Top-20 list in four races. In his other two outings with Team AmeriVet, and RCR, the 32-year-old finished P36 at the Coca-Cola 600, and P19 at the Brickyard 400, respectively, which didn’t really give anybody hope.

However, cut to the end of 2024, and Kaulig Racing is doubling down on their belief in Dillon, and has already brought on reinforcements from its technical allies and Dillon’s grandfather’s team, Richard Childress Racing. Andrew Dickeson joins Kaulig from RCR to become Ty Dillon’s No. 10  Chevy’s new crew chief. Notably, Dickeson worked with RCR for years as an engineer, after moving to the US from Australia in 2007 to chase the American dream. He has experience in the V8 Supercars Super2 Series.

And despite community’s blatant skepticism surrounding Dillon’s talents, the driver is evidently hopeful and confident. Talking about how his new team will help him hone his skills further, the racer told Bob Pockrass, “I just believe in never giving up and every time I feel like maybe my career in some people’s eyes went down; I just worked harder. And I hope that this next chapter is the success chapter as far as results. But results aren’t everything in life. You can barely control your results, you can control your effort and I’ve been really working hard when nobody looks in.”

“So, it gives me the most gratitude and the chance to show people, and hopefully inspire some people to look at my career. I’ve plenty of opportunities in the sport, and in life, it will give you plenty of opportunities to bow out and do something different and say you know what it’s time to move on, and when you really want something and when you really believe in yourself and you never give up, I just believe that hardwork will rise and show success in the end,” he further said.

Matt Kaulig, on the other hand, was equally optimistic. “Ty has done a really great job for us this year in our No. 16 car, competing in a limited schedule,” Matt Kaulig said. “He has been consistent each time he gets in the car and has really helped our program grow this season. We think he will be instrumental in continuing our Cup program in alliance with Richard Childress Racing,” he said.

Having said that, besides Dickeson, another big shot, Mike Cook, will join the Kaulig from Tony Stewart’s dismantled team, Stewart-Haas Racing, to act as Technical Director. He is a winning lead engineer with a decade of experience working with drivers like Kurt Busch, Chase Briscoe, and Aric Almirola.

“After a decade of learning and honing my craft, I am really excited to contribute to the continuing growth of Kaulig Racing,” said Cook, winner of the 2017 Daytona 500, in a press release. “Nothing in racing happens overnight, but I know I have the tools and the support I need to bring immediate impact. Andrew has the demeanor and stability that I think will give Ty the best opportunity he has ever had at the Cup level,” continued Cook. “AJ and Trent are just in sync and have a great working relationship. Both drivers are hungry and dedicated, so I know that team is going to be strong and impress some people in 2025.”

Trent Owens is getting back with AJ Allmendinger, as the driver is coming back to the full-time Cup Series after spending some time at the Xfinity racetracks. During his stint with Allmendinger, he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race in Las Vegas in October. The win launched him into the championship race for the second time in his career. Owens brings over two decades of experience in the industry, with wins in each of NASCAR’s premier series, one NCS win, five NXS wins, and one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) win.

But, enough with the new recruits. Let’s talk about what will happen with the old ones…

Kaulig’s willing to let go of veteran drivers

Kaulig Racing has hired 24-year-old Christian Eckes from McAnally Hilgemann Racing. This means that Eckes will drive AJ’s number #16 Chevrolet Camaro. Currently, the car is split between multiple drivers. It is also worth noting here that Eckes is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) regular season champion and is vying for playoff success. In fact, in the 2024 season, he has secured three victories, marked by a win at Nashville Superspeedway.

This year, Kaulig Racing also said goodbye to 36-year-old Shane van Gisbergen, who has moved to Trackhouse Racing. With three wins in the Xfinity Series and a strong showing in his rookie year, it’s evident that his victory at the 2023 Chicago Street Race wasn’t just a fluke. He’s proven himself worthy, and 2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for the driver, especially with the #88 seat at Trackhouse opening up for a full-time Cup Series run. At 36, SVG may be the most seasoned rookie in the field when the Daytona 500 kicks off the season in February. 

Daniel Hemric moves to MHR to drive the number 19 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. Interestingly, it’s the same truck that Eckes drove and had an average finish of fifth for wins, Championship 4. Who knows if it turns out to be a lucky charm for Hemric as well? However, it might be worth noting here that while Eckes has made the move up, Hemric has moved some levels down. 

But, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, said Estepp. “I respect him going somewhere where he can win. So rather than putter around in 25th to 30th with Kaulig. On Sundays, he’s going to be on our TVs on Friday and Saturday. I know it’s tough for veteran cup drivers to drop down multiple series willingly, but I think Daniel Hemric is going to set himself up for some great success next year,” he said.

What do you think of Kaulig’s recent changes?