Last Friday, [autotag]Kaulig Racing[/autotag] announced that Daniel Hemric would move up to the NASCAR Cup Series and drive the No. 31 car on a full-time basis. It was a full-circle moment for Hemric, who comes back to the Cup Series for his first full-time season since 2019. Kaulig Racing brought Hemric in following his 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and has rewarded him well.
Now, the focus for Kaulig Racing is on the No. 16 Cup car as A.J. Allmendinger has not been confirmed for the entry yet. In fact, Kaulig Racing president Chris Rice was asked a question about the No. 16 car during Hemric’s press conference and seemed excited about what is coming for the entry.
“We’re super excited about our No. 16 car, but we’re honestly coming in here today about the No. 31 car,” Rice said. “I would love to sit here and tell you everything that’s going on. Yes, (A.J. Allmendinger) is very crucial. He was a big decision factor with (Daniel Hemric). I’ll be dead honest with you – we brought it to A.J. first because A.J. is a big part of Kaulig Racing. I think his middle name is ‘Kaulig’.”
Based on Rice’s comments, it is fair to speculate whether Allmendinger will return to the No. 16 Cup car next year. The Kaulig Racing driver is OK competing in the Cup or Xfinity Series so it may come down to if the organization can find another driver. For now, Allmendinger will look to close out the 2023 NASCAR season on a strong note.
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