In August 2025, Ram officially announced its return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, naming Kaulig Racing as its anchor factory team for the 2026 season. This will be the first time since 2012 that a Stellantis-brand truck (Ram) has run with factory support in NASCAR’s Truck Series. As Kaulig plans to field up to five Ram 1500 trucks in the season opener, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis even said they sought a partner that “truly aligns with the Ram brand and embraces our unconventional approach to NASCAR,” praising Kaulig’s “Last Tenth culture.” As discussions continue, names such as Toni Breidinger and Garret ‘Cleetus McFarland’ Mitchell are surfacing as possible candidates for those seats, and fans are already taking sides.
Currently, Toni Breidinger races full-time in the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage, but her season stats so far have no wins or top-10s in her 20 starts. Meanwhile, Cleetus McFarland has made a more modest entry into ARCA in 2025. With four starts and two top-10s, he explores moving further up in NASCAR’s ladder. While past performance suggests Breidinger has more track time at the Truck level, McFarland, on the other hand, brings a strong fan base and publicity potential. As the driver-rumor mill churns about who gets a seat and which, fans have been quick to point out why this may not be a good idea.
That being said, both Breidinger and McFarland would offer distinct advantages. Breidinger brings full-season Truck Series experience, sponsor relationships, and a growing profile as one of the few women in the series. McFarland brings social media reach, fan engagement, and potential marketing upside. For Kaulig/Ram, with five trucks to fill, there’s likely room for both types. One performance-oriented driver and another more promotional or developmental seat.
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But the conversation intensified after a Reddit post citing Daily Downforce stated, “Toni Breidinger and Cleetus McFarland are being linked to the Kaulig/Ram truck team for 2026. Wonder who would fill in at TRICON.” That speculation triggered a debate over whether these two drivers truly fit the competitive ambitions of Ram’s comeback.
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The gap in Breidinger’s 2025 performance raises questions, while McFarland’s lack of Truck or Xfinity-level experience suggests he may need a part-time or specialty role first. Fans across Reddit and racing forums argue performance should matter more than popularity, and that controversy has them fuming.
Fans question Ram’s choice
The first reaction stems from concerns about Kaulig’s competitiveness in 2026. With Ram making its long-awaited return, some fans fear that a driver lineup heavy on youth and appeal may weaken the team. One user wrote, “Don’t get me wrong, I think Breidinger bringing all this brands and support to NASCAR is great. However I have to imagine any combination of Dye, Butterbean, Breidinger, McFarland, Lawless Alan (although apparently not anymore) would make them a very weak team.” This viewpoint highlights the tension between financial backing and raw performance. Without proven winners, even a five-truck effort risks being perceived as more promotional than competitive.
The second reaction narrows in on the drivers themselves, especially their perceived racing abilities. A fan commented, “I hope they’re all sharing one truck. I like Cleetus but he has a long way to go before he’s a competitive driver. Toni on the other hand, is quite literally just ‘doing it for the ‘gram’.” The criticism reflects a skepticism toward Cleetus. His lack of Truck experience and Breidinger’s large online presence overshadows her results. It reveals a widespread worry that Kaulig’s selection may prioritize personality and brand over merit.
Not every response, however, is dismissive. Another fan pushed back against reducing Breidinger to an “influencer.” He wrote, “Please dont invalid Toni like that. Im not a fan of hers and she’s quite slow, but its invalidating to say she’s just an influencer when she does social media TO get to race. She is quite slow but she doesn’t wreck often and usually out-of-the-way when leaders come around to lap her.” This fan was quick to point out some of the factors everyone seemed to have noticed.
They further went on to say, “Saying she’s just an influencer is part of the problem; she so big on Instagram to get to race because she’s a pay driver without multi-millions of family backing like Herbst and Kris Wright. Its sets a bad conception that a lot of female racers who are big on social media ‘dont care’ about racing. Just because theyre not good doesnt mean they dont care and it creates a sentiment that women are do racing to appeal to men online, which is kinda disgusting.” This response highlighted the gendered double standards female racers face. While Breidinger’s results may not stand out, her career path reflects resilience rather than indifference.
The fifth reaction captured frustration with shifting team priorities in NASCAR. It states bluntly, “What happened to trophy hunting?” For long-time fans, the essence of motorsport has always been competition and victory. This statement reflects unease with Kaulig’s driver selections. If made with marketing in mind, it may steer away from the traditional pursuit of wins.
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The final comment brought humor and cynicism together, with one fan remarking, “Soooo I guess Ram is just trying to be a meme brand?” Such a take points to Ram’s unconventional comeback strategy. Aligning with internet personalities like Cleetus and marketable names like Breidinger can be seen as leaning into meme-driven popularity. While the remark is tongue-in-cheek, it also hints at the real risk. Ram’s long-awaited return could be mocked as more of a marketing stunt than a serious manufacturer comeback.