Brenden Queen, the newly-crowned champion of the ARCA Menards Series, will be joining forces with Kaulig Racing and RAM in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, the organization confirmed on Thursday.
Queen, who is affectionately known as “Butterbean” in racing circles, will be piloting one of the five full-time NASCAR Truck Series entries coming out of the RAM-supported Kaulig Racing camp in 2026.
Excited to join @Kaulig_Trucks full time for multiple seasons!
Huge thanks to everyone at @RamTrucks and @KauligRacing for believing in me enough to give me this opportunity . I’m ready to go chase wins and help build a legacy for Ram in the Truck Series. https://t.co/JuPLYsc1cg
— Brenden Queen (@03Butterbean) October 16, 2025
“A big thanks to Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, RAM, and everyone at Kaulig Racing for this opportunity,” said Queen. “I’m just a short-track kid who’s worked hard every day, never really knowing if I’d ever make it to this level. I’m very thankful for this chance and can’t wait to get rolling with RAM and Kaulig Racing. The goals are simple: build a winning team and chase championships.”
The Chesapeake, Virginia-native is a short-track racer through and through, winning the 2024 CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour championship, as well as three consecutive Late Model Stock Car track championships at Langley Speedway from 2020 to 2022. All of that regional success allowed Queen to jump into the ARCA Menards Series.
Competing for Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG) this season, Queen collected a series-high eight victories on his way to a convincing title berth in the ARCA Menards Series. Some of his victories include races at historic venues like Daytona International Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, and Kansas Speedway.
“It’s been amazing to see what Brenden is capable of, from winning multiple championships at his local short track to his dominant ARCA championship season,” said Chris Rice, CEO of Kaulig Racing. “He’s proven he deserves this opportunity, and we can’t wait to see what he does in the Truck Series next year.”
In preparation for this opportunity in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for 2026, Kaulig Racing has tapped Queen to compete in five of the final eight NASCAR Xfinity Series events this season, including the final three races of the year, which begin this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
Ahead of his third event of the 2025 season, Queen has recorded a single top-10 in the Xfinity Series, an eighth-place finish at Kansas Speedway, an impressive effort after the 27-year-old driver started fourth in the No. 11 Chevrolet.
Additional details on the entry, including truck number and sponsorship, and personnel, will be announced at a later date. Four spots remain in the driver lineup for Kaulig Racing and RAM for 2026, all of which will be announced at a later date.
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign will begin on Friday, February 13, at Daytona International Speedway.
