Dodge to Return to NASCAR Cup Series Starting in 2027

Dodge will rejoin the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, becoming the fourth manufacturer alongside Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford. The announcement, made earlier than most projections, sets up a rapid turnaround for the upcoming season.

The news was officially revealed at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas on Monday evening, with the new car scheduled to debut at the Snowball Derby in December.

Dodge will partner with Kaulig Racing, which currently fields Chevrolet entries at the Cup level and also operates a fleet of five Ram 1500s in the Truck Series. Stellantis revived the Ram brand in NASCAR’s third division for the 2026 season.

“Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘watch this,’” said Kuniskis. “Sure, we could spend three years planning, testing and perfecting… or we could do all three in real time, on the track. It’s going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA. LFG.”

Matt Kaulig, team owner, added: “This is a very exciting moment for both Chris Rice and me. We launched Kaulig Racing a decade ago and have overcome many challenges together, which makes it even more remarkable to be announced as the anchor team for Dodge’s return to the NASCAR Cup Series. What a monumental time to be a member of Kaulig Racing. We realize what a responsibility this opportunity presents to the men and women of Kaulig Racing, and we are ready to rise to the occasion. I am proud of the stability and support this partnership brings to our organization, which allows us to build a winning program for many years to come.”

Although not officially confirmed, the Dodge entries are expected to use engines supplied by ECR, the same provider that outfits Chevrolet engines for teams such as Richard Childress Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and Kaulig Racing.

Kaulig is also slated to retain its current driver lineup—A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 16 and Ty Dillon in the No. 10—with an official driver announcement planned for the Homestead race weekend. The team has two Cup victories, both secured by Allmendinger at the Indianapolis Road Course in 2021 and the Charlotte Roval in 2023.

Dodge boasts a long NASCAR heritage, dating back to 1950. The brand captured manufacturer titles in 1970 and 1975 and amassed several driver championships. Legendary driver Richard Petty drove a Dodge to three of his seven Cup titles in the 1970s, and Brad Keselowski clinched the 2012 championship in a Dodge—the marque’s final season before its hiatus.

Dodge withdrew from the series when the Gen‑6 car was introduced in 2013, leaving the grid with only three manufacturers ever since. The Next Gen platform may ease the transition, as teams no longer need to build a full chassis from the ground up and can rely on NASCAR’s network of external suppliers.

Source link