By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Chris Rice of Elon has been promoted to chief executive officer of Kaulig Racing, which competes on the NASCAR Cup Series level. He has been with the team since its inception in 2016, when Matt Kaulig founded and launched the team.
Rice moves up from president of the racing team. He had been president since 2018.
“Chris Rice is the real deal,” Kaulig said in announcing Rice’s role as the team’s first CEO. “From his early days on pit road to president and now CEO of Kaulig Racing, his journey reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion that define this sport. Chris was with me from the very beginning, helping build Kaulig Racing from the ground up, and his leadership has been instrumental in shaping the culture and success of our team. I’m proud to call him a partner, a leader, and a friend.”
Kaulig Racing has full-time Cup drivers A.J. Allmendinger and Ty Dillon. The racing team has won two races on the Cup circuit.
The racing team supported Brenden Queen’s debut in the Xfinity Series in September at Bristol Motor Speedway.
In August, Kaulig Racing announced it’s expanding into Craftsman Truck Series competition for 2026.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for Matt’s trust in me,” Rice said in the release announcing the promotion. “From day one, our goal has been to create something special here at Kaulig Racing, not just wins on the track, but a culture where people love to come to work every day. With our partnership with RAM and the opportunity to continue to grow in 2026, the future has never been brighter for Kaulig Racing.”
Based on information from Kaulig Racing, Rice will continue to oversee all aspects of the team’s competition and business operations. Kaulig Racing has a shop in Lexington.
Rice’s involvement in NASCAR stems back to a position as a gasman on the Busch Series (now called Xfinity Series) in 1989.
Rice has been a supporter of athletics teams at Western Alamance and Elon University.
