Darlington Proves Too Tough As Kaulig Rams Miss Top-10

Kaulig Racing’s return to Darlington Raceway for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 proved to be one of the toughest outings of the young 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. After opening the year with consistent top-10 performances, the five-truck Ram 1500 effort ran into a wall—figuratively and, at times, literally—at one of NASCAR’s most unforgiving tracks.

Darlington’s worn-out surface, narrow racing groove, and constant tire falloff lived up to their reputation Friday night. Add in double overtime and changing track conditions, and it became a survival race more than anything else. When the dust settled, AJ Allmendinger led the Ram charge with an 11th-place finish, just shy of keeping the brand’s early-season top-10 streak alive.

From the drop of the green flag, it was clear that grip—or lack thereof—would define the night. All five Kaulig entries spent much of the race fighting balance issues, with drivers constantly adjusting their lines to keep the trucks underneath them. The razor-thin margin for error at Darlington forced drivers to choose between pushing forward or simply staying out of trouble.

Allmendinger, making his first Truck Series start of the season in the No. 10 Mopar-backed Ram 1500, showed flashes of speed early. Starting deep in the field, he methodically worked his way toward the front and briefly cracked the top-10 during the opening stages. But track position proved critical, and a loss of spots during pit cycles forced him to play catch-up the rest of the night.

“You know, it was a fun night, just trying to get used to these things. I felt like I got up to speed pretty quickly. I felt like we made really good progress in the first two stages. We drove up into about the top 12 or 13, but then we lost track position on pit stops, and that really hurt us.

“I got really tight in the final stage. I’m not sure if there was damage on a restart or what, but it just got really tight and we struggled from there.

“We made a good decision by pitting for scuffs, had a couple of good restarts, and got back to 11th. I thought we could have had a little bit more at the end, but overall we ran all the laps, got some good notes for the team, and hopefully they can use those to keep moving forward so we can get better.”

While Allmendinger came close to sneaking into the top-10, Justin Haley had to grind out every position the hard way. Rolling off 25th, Haley never quite found the balance he needed. The handling issues that plagued the team early only worsened as the race went on, and a late-race throttle issue added another layer of difficulty. Still, he managed to salvage a 15th-place finish—an effort that reflected persistence more than performance.

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen quietly turned in one of the more disciplined runs of the night. In his first Darlington start, Queen avoided the chaos that unfolded around him and steadily brought the No. 12 Ram home in 20th. It wasn’t flashy, but at a track like Darlington, finishing clean often says more than the finishing position itself.

Corey LaJoie, piloting the No. 25 “Free Agent” Ram, looked poised to deliver one of the team’s strongest results of the night. Starting mid-pack, LaJoie battled a loose truck for most of the race but continued to make incremental gains through adjustments and experience. By the time overtime arrived, he had worked his way into the top-10 and was in position to capitalize.

“It was a great night until it wasn’t. We battled a really loose truck all night. We kept making gains on it, kept throwing wrenches at it, and kept getting it a little better and a little better. We had ourselves in position for a top-10.

“We were running ninth, then got all jammed up on a restart. We got some right-side damage, and our night was over.

“Was it fun? I mean, anytime you’re at Darlington, it’s fun. There are moments where it’s fun, and there are moments where it’s dreadful. We had both tonight.”

That late-race incident erased what could have been a strong finish and underscored just how quickly things can unravel at Darlington.

“Mini” Tyrrell’s night followed a similar rollercoaster. Showing promising pace early in his Darlington debut, Tyrrell’s run took a hit when a cut tire forced an unscheduled stop, putting him multiple laps down. Mechanical issues later compounded the problem, ultimately ending his night before the checkered flag.

Off the track, the team also faced adversity before the race even began. Three of Kaulig Racing’s Ram entries—the 10, 12, and 25—failed pre-race inspection twice, resulting in the ejection of their truck chiefs. That penalty not only disrupted preparation but will also carry consequences into the next race at Rockingham, where those teams will forfeit pit stall selection.

Darlington reminded everyone why it’s called “Too Tough to Tame.” For Kaulig Racing and its Ram 1500 lineup, the night was less about results and more about resilience, learning, and survival.

Now, the focus shifts to Rockingham Speedway on April 3, where Kaulig Racing will look to rebound. With LaJoie confirmed to return in the No. 25 entry, the team will aim to turn the hard lessons from Darlington into a stronger showing at the historic North Carolina oval.