Ryan Truex joins Kaulig Racing for 2018 XFINITY Series Campaign

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Ryan Truex will pilot the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2018 the team announced on Tuesday. Truex previously drove for Hattori Racing Enterprises in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series but both parties announced they split ways earlier this month. 

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"I'm extremely excited to be making the move back into the Xfinity Series," said Truex in the team release. "In just two years Kaulig Racing has proved to be a highly competitive team each race and it should be a great fit. Last season I saw a lot of improvements in my racing and hopefully this year I can continue the success Kaulig Racing has built and competed for the championship at the end of the year."

Truex replaces Blake Koch in the No. 11. Koch joined the organization in its inception season back in 2016 where he made the playoffs and came within one race of competing for the championship at Homestead-Miami. Team-owner Matt Kaulig assured The Motorsports News Source that they are pushing to keep Koch in some capacity. Bar Harbor Seafood Products, which sponsored Truex in the NCWTS, will move with him to the series in 2018 Kaulig confirmed on SiriusXM.

"When we started this team two years ago I knew we had the potential to be one of the strongest teams in the Xfinity Series and I think we're within reach of that goal. Ryan is going to be a great addition to the team and I have some high hopes for this season. Each year we keep improving as a team and I think this season we'll be able to get some wins and make another run in the playoffs. Everyone at Kaulig Racing is excited to have Ryan on board and it should be a great, fun year."

Truex has run 39 races in the XFINITY Series with a best finish of second at Dover in 2012 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He earned a career-high of eight top-five finishes in the NCWTS last season and came close to earning his first career victory last season at Pocono in June when he finished third. (Koelle,2018)