The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opened the 2026 season with impressive momentum, highlighted by a significant rise in television viewership across multiple events.

The season-opening Daytona race on FS1 averaged 1.387 million viewers, marking a 37% increase year-over-year and becoming the most-watched Truck Series event since 2016.

At Atlanta Motor Speedway, FS1 averaged 765,000 viewers, up 13% compared to the 2025 event.

The inaugural street course race at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in late February drew approximately 1 million viewers on Fox.

Ram’s highly anticipated return to NASCAR after more than a decade helped fuel early-season interest. The manufacturer’s five-truck effort with Kaulig Racing, along with the debut of NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in the Ram Free Agent Driver Program, has played a key role in boosting ratings and fan engagement.

Race Notes – Bristol Motor SpeedwayFriday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway marks the sixth race of Ram’s 2026 return to NASCAR following a 13-year absence.Despite it being Ram’s first Truck Series season, a Kaulig Racing Ram 1500 has finished in the top 10 in four of the first five races of 2026.Corey LaJoie makes his second start in the No. 10 Ram 1500 on Friday as part of Kaulig Racing’s five-truck lineup.Kaulig Racing’s Ram entries include:No. 10 – Corey LaJoieNo. 12 – Brenden “Butterbean” QueenNo. 14 – Timothy “Mini” TyrrellNo. 16 – Justin HaleyNo. 25 – Rotating driver via the Ram Free Agent ProgramCarson Ferguson will pilot the No. 25 Ram on Friday. Previous drivers of the Free Agent entry include Tony Stewart, Ty Dillon, Colin Braun, and Corey LaJoie.Ram will announce the Free Agent Driver for the May 1 race at Texas Motor Speedway prior to Friday’s event.Though new to the Truck Series, Kaulig Racing owns two NASCAR Cup Series victories and 27 wins in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.FS1 will broadcast the race live at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, with NASCAR Racing Network coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).Carson FergusonCarson Ferguson NotesCarson Ferguson will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, driving the No. 25 Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway.The start comes via the Ram Free Agent Program, celebrating Ram’s return to NASCAR with a rotating mix of veterans and up-and-coming drivers.Ferguson earned the opportunity following a standout performance on the eight-episode reality series “Race for the Seat,” presented by Ram and Kaulig Racing.The series aired on Fox and the Ram and Kaulig Racing YouTube channels and featured 15 drivers competing for a full-time ride in the No. 14 Ram 1500.Ferguson won the season-ending 20-lap Late Model Stock Car race at South Boston Speedway, earning $50,000, and finished second overall behind Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell.Originally slated to debut at Martinsville in the fall, Kaulig Racing elected to move Ferguson’s debut up to Bristol.The 25-year-old from Lincolnton, North Carolina, is a standout in dirt late model racing and competes full-time in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for Paylor Motorsports.Ferguson is a two-time Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series champion, a 2019 FASTRAK Racing Series champion and Rookie of the Year, and the only driver to win all three INEX national finals events on pavement in the same year (2014).Carson Ferguson Quote

“I’m thrilled for the chance to make my NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Bristol through the Ram Free Agent Program. Competing on ‘Race for the Seat’ was an incredible experience, and even though I came up just short of the full-time ride, getting this shot to race with Kaulig Racing means a lot. Bristol is a tough, high-banked track and a heck of a place to make your pavement debut in NASCAR. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of that No. 25 Ram and show what I can do.”

Corey LaJoieCorey LaJoie NotesCorey LaJoie will drive the No. 10 Ram 1500 for the remainder of the 2026 season.LaJoie finished 7th at Rockingham Speedway, tying Kaulig Racing and Ram’s best Truck Series result so far in 2026.He has made 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts and two Truck Series starts at Bristol, scoring top-10 finishes in both Truck races.A third-generation racer from Concord, North Carolina, LaJoie is the son of two-time Xfinity Series champion Randy LaJoie.LaJoie has more than 270 NASCAR Cup Series starts since debuting in 2014, with notable performances on superspeedways and road courses.Corey LaJoie Quote

“Bristol is a place where your heart starts pounding when you walk in. It truly is the Last Great Colosseum. This is a track where you need to execute well from the first time our Ram hits the track until the checkered flag drops. Coming off of that 7th place run at Rockingham, we’ll look to continue building that strong momentum.”

Brenden “Butterbean” QueenBrenden “Butterbean” Queen NotesRookie of the Year contender Brenden “Butterbean” Queen drives the No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500.Queen led the five-truck Kaulig/Ram effort at Daytona with a 7th-place finish and recorded the team’s best qualifying effort at Rockingham (11th).The 2025 ARCA Menards Series champion won eight races in his rookie season.Known for his mullet and energetic celebrations, Queen is a multi-time Late Model Stock champion and former CARS Tour title winner.Brenden “Butterbean” Queen Quotes

“Bristol holds a special place for me — it’s where I made my debut with Kaulig Racing in the O’Reilly series. Growing up, Bristol was always such a cool track to watch, so it would mean a lot to have a strong run and capitalize on it this weekend.”

“Qualifying is going to be critical because if you start too far back, you can go a lap down early. Track position is one of the biggest challenges, especially in the trucks.”

Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell“Mini” Tyrrell NotesTimothy “Mini” Tyrrell drives the No. 14 Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing.Tyrrell won the “Race for the Seat” competition, earning the full-time 2026 Truck Series ride.He became the youngest winner of a Late Model Stock Car race in America at age 10.Off the track, Tyrrell operates Mini’s Mission, raising over $650,000 for childhood cancer research and awareness.“Mini” Tyrrell Quotes

“We had a pretty good run in Rockingham until the final stage. I’m really proud of the Kaulig Racing team for the work they’ve been doing to improve each week.”

“I’ve never been to Bristol, even as a fan, but I’m excited to get there. It’s a short track, super fast-paced, and I feel like it will suit my driving style.”

Kaulig Racing PR