(Photo Credit: Keenan Hairston/Getty Images)
By Adam Carabine & Logan Morris
This year, in preparation for the 2024 NASCAR season, we present our Team Previews Series. Each day until the end of January, a new Team Preview will be live on our website. Check back every day to see what we have to say about your favourite team!
Adam Carabine: We’re back with another edition of our Team Preview series. Today we’re looking at Kaulig Racing! Here’s a team that’s had a bit of an interesting trajectory from last season. Let’s get started, Logan. Thoughts on Daniel Hemric taking over the 31?
Logan Morris: I think it’s a gutsy call by the top brass at Kaulig Racing. No disrespect to the former Xfinity Series Champion, but his resume does leave a little to be desired. He does have the one year of Cup Series experience to fall back on, where he spent a year at RCR. The results were less than stellar though.
AC: I can’t say I disagree with you. Hemric is a consistent performer, but he seems to lack that ability to close the deal. He’s got one single career win - it just so happened to be the most important race to win - the championship race at Phoenix. I imagine Justin Haley surprised more than just fans when he decided to jump ship to Rick Ware Racing, but I’m not convinced that Hemric is the guy to take his seat. What about the 16? Allmendinger had an underwhelming year last year in his full-time return to Cup racing. Did he deserve a second shot at it?
LM: I do think the artist known as “The Dinger” deserved another shot at it. I don’t think he was sent back down to the Xfinity Series for a performance based reason. Every race team has a lot of moving parts and when you combine that with the family atmosphere of Kaulig Racing, it was probably more of a favour to the team than we fully know. The fact that we don’t know the plans yet for the 16 is pretty baffling.
AC: I definitely didn’t get the sense that it was Allmendinger’s decision to head back down to the Xfinity Series, but I also think he can be much more of a legitimate championship contender there, so there are some perks. Also agreed on the Cup Series 16. Why have we still not heard anything? Who is left out there who has the ability to step into that seat? I know Matt DiBenedetto is still looking for a ride, but I can’t imagine it’s him.
LM: We know that AJ is going to run some Cup Races this season. At this juncture, I would guess the 16 will be split amongst AJ and at least one more driver. We know it’s still a chartered car so you have to assume it’ll be in all 36 races. The heavy speculation is that Matt DiBenedetto has signed a deal somewhere. Stranger things have happened?
AC: True enough. We’ll have to wait and see. What about on-track performance? I was underwhelmed by Kaulig last season. They have a great Xfinity program, but the Cup teams are lacking. What can be done to improve this season?
LC: I think part of the issue is they’re lower on the Team Chevy totem poll. They will be a little higher with Legacy MC moving over to Toyota. I’m honestly expecting Kaulig to take a step back in the Cup Series this season. Given the uncertain status surrounding the 16 and Hemric’s underwhelming resume I expect this to be a season of growing pains.
AC: It’s a shame, really, because I enjoy the family-like atmosphere you alluded to earlier. I think Kaulig Racing as a whole is good for the sport of NASCAR. In my heart, I hope you’re wrong, but my brain can’t find any reason to disagree. Let’s hope they can figure some things out as the season moves along and not have it be a complete write-off.
Stay tuned for more of our Team Preview series. Next up we will dissect Front Row Motorsports!