{"id":173355,"date":"2026-03-01T01:09:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T01:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/173355\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T01:09:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T01:09:08","slug":"kaulig-racing-puts-ram-in-the-top-10-again-at-st-petersburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/173355\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaulig Racing Puts Ram In The Top-10 Again At St. Petersburg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kaulig Racing\u2019s five-truck Ram 1500 effort rolled into Florida this past weekend for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series\u2019 first-ever street race at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg<\/a>. With limited track time, rain-shortened practice, and no qualifying session, the team had to adapt on the fly.<\/p>\n

When the dust settled on the streets of St. Pete, it was \u201cFree Agent\u201d Colin Braun who led the Ram charge, delivering a solid ninth-place finish and keeping Ram\u2019s top-10 streak alive to start the season.<\/p>\n

Through three races in 2026, at least one Ram 1500 has landed inside the top-10 each weekend. For a program that\u2019s still in its early stages, that consistency says a lot.<\/p>\n

Braun Delivers Another Top-10 For Ram
\n\"\"Ram \u201cFree Agent\u201d Colin Braun in St. Petersburg. (Kaulig Racing).<\/p>\n

Braun, serving as Ram\u2019s \u201cFree Agent\u201d driver for the event, started 16th after NASCAR set the lineup according to the rulebook when rain washed out qualifying. Drivers had only about 10 minutes of practice before the weather cut the session short, leaving most teams with limited data on how their trucks would react on the tight, technical street circuit.<\/p>\n

Braun methodically worked forward. He stayed clean, managed the tight braking zones, and avoided the chaos that often comes with street racing. With about 15 laps remaining, he cracked the top-10 and held on to finish ninth.<\/p>\n

The result marked Braun\u2019s 24th career top-10 finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. It was also his first top-10 since Michigan in 2011 \u2014 where he coincidentally also finished ninth.<\/p>\n

After the race, Braun was realistic about where the team stands but encouraged by the progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thankful for this opportunity with Kaulig Racing and Ram. They\u2019ve been working really hard. It\u2019s no secret that we weren\u2019t the fastest, but this team is starting from ground zero, so to be able to build and get a good result is big. I learned a lot, and I think as a team, we learned what we needed to. I didn\u2019t know what to expect going into this weekend. The other OEMs did a great job and were able to prep their guys a good bit. I feel like if we had some practice, it may have been quite a game changer for me, but we started off on the back foot and were just behind from the drop of the green. Considering what we had yesterday, I\u2019m pretty pleased with a top-10 finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a team still developing its street course notebook, a ninth-place finish under those circumstances is a strong statement.<\/p>\n

Haley Fights Back After Early Spin<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\ufeff\ufeff<\/p>\n

Justin Haley appeared to have one of the quicker Rams early in the weekend. Starting 11th, he showed good pace right out of the gate. Unfortunately, contact from another truck on lap three sent his No. 16 Celsius Ram 1500 spinning and off the lead lap.<\/p>\n

On a narrow street circuit, that\u2019s usually a recipe for a long afternoon.<\/p>\n

Instead, Haley and crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. went to work. Smart adjustments on pit road and steady driving helped Haley claw his way back into contention. By the final stage, he was once again racing near the front half of the field and ultimately crossed the line in 12th.<\/p>\n

Haley summed up the day this way:<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, not a bad finish for this No. 16 Celsius Ram 1500 team. I didn\u2019t know what to expect heading into the weekend. With hardly any practice, there were a ton of unknowns, but I could tell I would have some difficulties with braking during the race. We got spun early on and had to fight back to get the free pass position. Thankfully, Mike [Hillman Jr.] made some great adjustments on pit road. We were able to learn quite a bit, kept pushing, and almost got a top-10 out of it. I\u2019m looking forward to heading to Darlington next, one of my favorite tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the early setback, a 12th-place finish felt like damage control done right.<\/p>\n

Dye Steady And Improving
\n\"\"Daniel Dye\u2019s Mopar No. 10 Ram 1500. (Kaulig Racing).<\/p>\n

Daniel Dye\u2019s afternoon was more about steady gains than headline moments. His team worked throughout the race to improve balance and braking on the tight layout. Dye kept his nose clean and capitalized late, picking up a position on the final lap to secure a 17th-place finish.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t flashy, but in a race where track position and survival were everything, bringing the truck home without major damage was valuable for a growing program.<\/p>\n

Queen\u2019s Promise Cut Short
\n\"\"Brenden \u201cButterbean\u201d Queen\u2019s No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500. (Kaulig Racing).<\/p>\n

Short track standout Brenden \u201cButterbean\u201d Queen showed speed in the middle portion of the race and looked poised for a top-20 finish. He battled in the mid-pack for much of the afternoon, holding his own against more experienced road and street racers.<\/p>\n

However, a cut tire late in the event sent his Ram hard into the wall. The heavy contact cost him multiple positions, and he ultimately finished 24th. It was a tough break for a driver who had shown a steady pace before the incident.<\/p>\n

Tyrrell Gains Early Before Trouble
\n\"\"Mini Tyrrell\u2019s No. 14 Ram 1500. (Kaulig Racing).<\/p>\n

\u201cMini\u201d Tyrrell was making his first-ever street race start, and early on, he impressed. In the opening stage, he gained 10 spots and looked increasingly comfortable navigating the tight corners and unforgiving barriers.<\/p>\n

But street courses rarely forgive mistakes. With around 20 laps remaining, cut tires and wall contact dropped him two laps down and out of contention. Tyrrell finished 28th, but the early gains showed promise for future road and street events.<\/p>\n

Next Stop: Darlington<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Now the focus shifts to Darlington Raceway, famously known as \u201cThe Track Too Tough to Tame.\u201d The 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval in South Carolina demands patience, precision, and respect. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will contest the Buckle Up South Carolina 200, a 147-lap race totaling 200.8 miles.<\/p>\n

Darlington is a completely different challenge from the tight walls of St. Petersburg. It\u2019s high-speed, abrasive, and notorious for handing out the infamous \u201cDarlington Stripe.\u201d For Kaulig Racing and Ram, the goal will be to continue building momentum and keep that top-10 streak alive.<\/p>\n

The race is scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.<\/p>\n

Three races into the 2026 season, the Ram 1500 program is still finding its footing. But with consistent finishes and a top-10 in every event so far, the foundation is clearly being laid.<\/p>\n

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