Ram Trucks laid out plans for the fifth and final seat on its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series operation Friday, announcing that a full-season ride with Kaulig Racing in 2026 will go to the winner of a reality-show competition.
Billed as “15 Drivers. 10 Challenges. 1 Seat,” the “Race for the Seat” program will debut Sunday, Jan. 25 on FOX, with subsequent episodes airing on Ram’s YouTube channel through Feb. 6. The contest’s winner is set to be in one of the five Kaulig-Ram entries when the manufacturer returns to NASCAR competition in the Craftsman Truck Series opener Feb. 13 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway.
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UFC CEO Dana White and Thrill Sports Productions will be executive producers of “Race for the Seat,” which will feature commentary from White, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis and Kaulig Racing team principals Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice. The eight-episode audition will take place at tracks including Virginia International Raceway and South Boston (Va.) Speedway.
“We promised Ram would approach NASCAR differently — and Race For The Seat is proof,” Kuniskis said in a Ram release. “Sometimes raw talent isn’t enough. Many successful careers start with an opportunity, a lucky break — or in my case, a good old-fashioned kick in the ass.”
The five-team lineup for Kaulig Racing’s first Truck Series voyage is now complete, with three full-time drivers set to compete alongside two wild-card Ram entries. Brendan “Butterbean” Queen (No. 12), Daniel Dye (No. 10) and Justin Haley (No. 16) will drive Ram 1500s full-time for the organization. A fourth entry — the No. 25 — will go to a rotating group of drivers each race through Ram’s Free Agent Driver Program, with the fifth roster slot — No. 14, according to the show’s promotional images — reserved for the “Race for the Seat” champ.
Ram announced its return to NASCAR competition June 8 at Michigan International Speedway, with officials promising a new, full-throttle approach to the sport. The automaker’s partnership with Kaulig Racing was formally revealed Aug. 23 with plans for a five-truck operation in 2026.