Ty Norris' departure from Trackhouse Racing, which he built alongside Justin Marks, shook up NASCAR
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Kaulig Racing made a shocking hire this week in NASCAR, as the team brought in Ty Norris to become its new chief business officer after his surprising departure from Trackhouse Racing.
Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing, released a statement earlier this week on the move, saying that Norris will be "focusing on partnerships and long-term strategy."
Fox News Digital caught up with Kaulig at CC Sabathia’s 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, where Kaulig Companies returned for the great cause as title sponsor for the event that benefits the MLB great's PitCCH In Foundation, and the race team owner couldn’t have been more ecstatic with Norris coming aboard.
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Ty Norris of Trackhouse Racing looks on before the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Geico 500 on April 23, 2023, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, AL. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"It’s really big," Kaulig said, smiling. "To compete at a high level with the Hendricks’ and [Joe] Gibbs’, you have to keep getting better. With the addition of Ty this week, I know it was a big deal in NASCAR to have the guys that really started Trackhouse to join our team.
"Ty’s been with several race teams. He’s been in the industry for 30, 35, 40 years. Really his whole life, so he brings another level of professionalism and experience that we’re going to take advantage of."
Norris is about as experienced as it gets in the sport, having worked for Dale Earnhardt Inc. from 1996-2004, and he was briefly with Speedway Motorsports Inc. before the leap to Michael Waltrip Racing, where he spent years helping build their team.
But once Michael Waltrip Racing closed, Norris ended up with Spire Sports + Entertainment before teaming up with Justin Marks to build Trackhouse from what was once Chip Ganassi Racing.
"This guy is the best ever at building teams," Marks said in a statement on X after the move from Norris. "His grind, commitment, and dedication will echo forever at Trackhouse as we grow and continue to do amazing things. Best of all I gained a great friend that will continue to be, always. Thank you Tyrone."
Now, the addition of Norris doesn’t mean Kaulig has any qualms with Rice, who has been with the team since its inception in 2016 and president since 2018.
"Everybody wondered, ‘What’s wrong with Chris Rice?’ He’s not going anywhere. It’s just an addition that Ty is going to bring on the sponsorship side, partnership side, business side. I mean, we just continue to elevate and grow," Kaulig said.
Chandler Smith, driver of the #16 Roofing Georgia Chevrolet, Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing (L) and Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing (R) pose for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 08, 2023 in Hampton, Georgia. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The sponsorship side to NASCAR is crucial for any race team, and Norris has more than enough experience to continue building this Kaulig Racing team from that side of the operation, just as Marks pointed out.
Kaulig’s statement at the time of the news also mentioned the team’s want to "solidify the trajectory of its NASCAR Cup Series program well into the future."
Kaulig has seen many wins in the Xfinity Series over the years, but the team is looking for more than just the two they own (A.J. Allmendinger in 2021 at Indianapolis and in 2023 at Charlotte). Kaulig preaches "hunting trophies," and that’s exactly what they wish to do at the highest level of NASCAR as the team continues to grow.
It’s also worth nothing Kaulig has worked with Norris in the past, as Trackhouse had Shane van Gisbergen on loan in Kaulig’s No. 97 car on the Xfinity Series this season. "SVG," as he’s known in the sport, will be racing full-time for Trackhouse next year in Cup Series after the team acquired a third-team charter.
Trackhouse racing team president Ty Norris watches the action from pit road during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Xfinity 500 on October 29, 2022 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The relationship was close to begin with, but Kaulig Racing is excited to see what Norris brings to the table in his next chapter of racing.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
