CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 08: (L-R) Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing, AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, and Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 08, 2023 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 08: (L-R) Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing, AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, and Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 08, 2023 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Kaulig Racing comments on No. 16 Cup car for 2024; AJ Allmendinger expected to return to Xfinity Series

That leaves the matter of the No. 16 car, with Allmendinger not expected to return to the Cup Series, instead returning to the Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series car next year instead. Numerous names have been attached to the No. 16 Cup car but Rice did not offer much in terms of detail when asked during the post-race press conference alongside Allmendinger and team owner Matt Kaulig.

He did admit that a decision was made but they haven’t announced yet.

“We do want to win races and we love AJ,” Kaulig said. “We haven’t all decided — actually we just haven’t announced yet exactly what we’re doing. I think we’re pretty clear on what we’re doing, we just haven’t announced anything.”

“I’d preferably like to stay in Cup,” Allmendinger said. “That was always the thought, to try to move the program along but at the end of the day, it’s a business and it’s about trying to find the funding for it.”

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See more on Allmendinger and the No. 16 car.