In 2018, they were the little team that could.
In 2023, they’re the little team that is doing.
When Kaulig Racing first showed up to the NASCAR scene in 2016, most folks probably would’ve never guessed it would become one of the most competitive and successful teams in NASCAR by 2023. In the team’s first two full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series seasons, its first driver Blake Koch earned only five top-10 finishes in both years. Not bad, but that’s certainly not championship material.
On top of the pit box, however, was NASCAR veteran crew chief Chris Rice, and in 2018, he was promoted to team president.
They were never the same.
Since Rice’s promotion, the team has earned 19 Xfinity Series race wins, one NASCAR Cup Series race win and two Xfinity regular-season championships.
How did they get here?
In the case of Rice, it’s likely because of his sunny disposition and a loyal race team. Fans that listen to most NASCAR teams on radio communications will likely find the most serious and often frustrated dialogue in sports. On Kaulig’s radio chatter, however, you may find something that’s more relaxed and sometimes downright hilarious.
“I think NASCAR gets a bad rap a lot,” Rice, who once said he would “show his boobies” after a race at Talladega Superspeedway, told Frontstretch. “We don’t get to hear NFL players on the sidelines. In NASCAR, we’re always serious. I’ve gotten beat up on social media so much about mistakes. ‘How can you still have fun?’
“I mean, what do you want to do? You want to be miserable all the time? You try to have as much fun as you can.”
However, there’s a fine balance between a relaxed working environment and still being productive. Rice has found that balance.
“Do you have to work on your problems and issues? Absolutely,” Rice said. “Why not have a little fun with it? You do that on the radio, and the whole team and the atmosphere is way different. They’ll work really hard for you.
“It’s super hard in competition to think about that. You just think about the bad. You know, we win a race, and I’m immediately thinking about how we are…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at …