Kaulig Racing unveils complete 2022 driver schedule for No. 16 Cup ride

 

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  This past Wednesday (01/26/2022), Kaulig Racing released their drivers schedule for the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2022 Season. The organization with field one full-time ride and a part-time ride in NASCAR's top racing division, the full-time ride being piloted by Justin Haley and the part-time by multiple other drivers.

It was previously announced by Kaulig Racing, that 3 different full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers would split their No. 16 NASCAR Cup Series ride throughout the 2022 season. Those drivers would be AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric, and Noah Gragson. 

Kaulig Racing's own AJ Allmendinger, who won the organizations first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race during the 2021 Season, will sit behind the wheel in the No. 16 NASCAR Cup Series ride for the majority of the 2022 season, at 16 races. 

Below is the list of NASCAR Cup Series races for AJ Allmendinger:

1. The Clash at the LA Coliseum (February 6th)
2. Phoenix Raceway (March 13th)
3. Circuit of the Americas (March 27th)
4. Richmond Raceway (April 3rd)
5. Martinsville Raceway (April 9th)
6. Dover Motor Speedway (May 1st)
7. Texas Motor Speedway - All-Star Open/Race (May 22nd)
8. World Wide Technology Raceway (June 5th)
9. Sonoma Raceway (June 12th)
10. Nashville Superspeedway (June 26th)
11. Road America (July 3rd)
12. New Hampshire (July 17th)
13. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (July 31st)
14. Watkins Glen International (August 21st)
15. Bristol Night Race (September 17th)
16. Charlotte ROVAL (October 9th)

Allmendinger's portion focuses on the road course layouts and a few other random track layouts thrown in there; most of them critical to help Allmendinger fight for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. 

The defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Daniel Hemric, who has joined forces with Kaulig Racing's NASCAR Xfinity Series operation for 2022, will get a few chances in their part-time NASCAR Cup Series ride in the coming season. Hemric has only one full-time NASCAR Cup Series season under his belt, coming back in 2019, and hasn't started in a race at this level since the need of that season. He is only scheduled for a total of 8 starts in the No. 16 ride this year.

Below is Daniel Hemric's NASCAR Cup Series slated starts in the No. 16:

1. The Duels at Daytona International Speedway (February 17th)
2. Daytona International Speedway (February 20th)
3. Auto Club Speedway (February 27th)
4. Las Vegas Speedway (March 6th)
5. Talladega Superspeedway (April 24th)
6. Daytona International (August 27th)
7. Darlington Raceway (September 4th)
8. Talladega Superspeedway (October 2nd) 

Hemric's portion focuses on the superspeedway races and a few intermediate tracks to add to his experience behind the wheel.

Now for Noah Gragson, who is possibly the most baffling driver to pick up a partial NASCAR Cup Series schedule with Kaulig Racing. Gragson has been in the JR Motorsports NASCAR Xfinity Series team for the past three seasons and heading into a fourth, is probably looking for a full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride in the next year or so. There just happens to be very little openings at that level at this current time. Typically, JR Motorsports drivers have moved into NASCAR Cup Series teams with some sort of Hendrick Motorsports alliance, but now that Chip Ganassi Racing is defunct, and no open slots for a ride within the small group of teams coming in the next few years. Making drivers such as Gragson, who are wanting to move up, to look elsewhere.

Gragson will pick up the remaining 14 races available in the No. 16 car, all listed below:

1. Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 20th)
2. Bristol Dirt Race (April 17th)
3. Kansas Speedway (May 15th)
4. Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 29th)
5. Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 10th)
6. Pocono Raceway (July 24th)
7. Michigan International Speedway (August 7th)
8. Richmond Raceway (August 14th)
9. Kansas Raceway (September 11th)
10. Texas Motor Speedway (September 25th)
11. Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 16th)
12. Homestead-Miami Speedway (October 23rd)
13. Martinsville Raceway (October 30th)
14. Pheonix Raceway (November 6th)

Noah Gragson's time in the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro will help his NASCAR Cup Series driver development, and before he enters the scene as a full-time driver. He is also slated to attempt the 2022 "Daytona" 500 for Beard Motorsports.

🚨 IT’S HERE 🚨

Check out the full driver schedule for our No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1!@AJDinger | @DanielHemric | @NoahGragson pic.twitter.com/5Htii96bdk

— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) January 24, 2022

#ICYMI: We released our full driver schedule for our No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this week.

Take a look and see who will be behind the wheel at your favorite tracks! 👀#NASCAR | #CupSeries | #TrophyHunting pic.twitter.com/iRvE4wkfnh

— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) January 26, 2022