AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — One week ahead of Ram Racing’s return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the brand has officially crowned the winner of its competitive reality series, Race for the Seat.
Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell claimed the final open seat on Kaulig Racing’s 2026 Truck Series roster and will drive the No. 14 Ram 1500 when the season kicks off next weekend at Daytona.
“I’m just overwhelmed. Winning Race for the Seat is something I never in a million years figured would happen,” said Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell. “I came into this hoping to learn a thing or two, grow a bit, and see if I could hang with a bunch of great drivers. I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart for my family, for everybody who’s been in my corner, and for Ram and Kaulig Racing for this opportunity-taking a chance on a kid that comes from grassroots racing and elevating me to a professional level. I’m gonna work my tail off to make everybody proud.”
Ram’s approach to NASCAR pairs its bold, differentiated 2026 Truck Series return with fan driven activation and a talent building pipeline highlighted by Race for the Seat and the inclusion of a “Free Agent” driver, underscoring its long term strategy to re establish the brand in America’s premier motorsport.
“Ram is built on grit, competition, and a relentless drive to approach our NASCAR effort differently,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of American Brands, SRT Performance, North America Marketing and Retail Strategy, Stellantis. “Race for the Seat brought that spirit to a national stage. The series gave emerging drivers a chance to prove themselves under real pressure and earn their shot in the NASCAR Truck Series with Ram and Kaulig Racing. Mini earned his place on our team, performing exceptionally throughout the competition and is a natural fit for Ram’s ‘last tenth’ culture.”
Hailing from Manassas, Virginia, Tyrrell is also known for becoming the youngest Late Model Stock Car winner in U.S. history at age 10 and for earning the 2019 CARS Tour Rookie of the Year title. Tyrrell has accumulated multiple wins and poles in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour. Off the track, Tyrrell leads Mini’s Mission: “Burn Rubber to Help Another,” a nonprofit he founded at age six that has raised more than $650,000 for pediatric cancer causes.
“Race for the Seat allowed us to evaluate drivers in a way you normally don’t get the chance to,” said Matt Kaulig, Team Owner of Kaulig Racing. “Over eight episodes, we saw how they competed, prepared, adapted, and handled pressure across different tracks and challenges. Mini proved he was ready for this opportunity, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Kaulig Racing team.”
