Kulwicki Driver Development Program Begins North American Search for 2026 ‘Underbirds’

CONCORD, North Carolina (January 1, 2026) – Applications are being accepted for the 2026 season of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, a North American initiative to help the top short-track stock car drivers achieve their dreams while keeping alive the legacy of 1992 NASCAR Cup champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame member Alan Kulwicki.

The application deadline is January 23, 2026, at midnight ET. 

Five drivers will be selected to participate in the season-long competition for the 2026 Kulwicki Cup. Known as “Underbirds” in honor of Kulwicki’s 1992 championship Ford which was named the Underbird, the drivers will be judged on race results, off-track civic participation, program promotion, fan interaction, and stewardship of Alan Kulwicki’s story. Crew members from Kulwicki’s 1992 Cup championship team will be advisors to the five finalists. 

In the only driver development program that pays its participants, each driver will receive money, goods and services valued at $7,000. During the season, the drivers will receive training sessions that focus on fitness, media presentation and social media so they will be better prepared to take their careers to the next level. Throughout the season, the five finalists will compete against each other for $30,000 in money, goods and services to be divided among the top three finishers at the end of the season. Each driver selected for the program is required to compete in a minimum of 14 races.

Those wishing to participate in the program should have experience in asphalt Late Model, Pro Late Model or Super Late Model stock cars, or a comparable style of racing.

Drivers not eligible for the program are those who have competed in, or plan to compete in 2026 in NASCAR’s three national touring series – Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck; NASCAR’s Canadian and Mexico series and ARCA’s three Menards Series – national, East and West. There is no age limit, but preference will be given to candidates between the ages of 16 and 25.