Dodge and NASCAR have always been a match made in heaven, but the muscle car brand has stayed away from America’s premier motorsport series since 2012. That’s quite a long break, but Dodge’s absence from the sport may end very soon as the brand is reportedly finalizing a return to the NASCAR Cup Series.
Earlier reports claimed that Dodge cars could once again race on NASCAR tracks in 2028 or even earlier. Dodge last competed in the stock car racing series in 2012 when Brad Keselowski won the championship with Team Penske, but it looks like parent company Stellantis will throw Dodge in the stock car arena once again much sooner than anyone thought possible.
Dodge’s NASCAR Comeback Is Almost Set for the Next Daytona 500
Stellantis has already entered Ram in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series earlier this year after a 13-year hiatus and following the successful return of the Hemi V8 engine in the Ram 1500 pickup.
Dodge’s comeback to the NASCAR Cup Series seems like the next logical step. The timing aligns nicely with reports on the Dodge Charger getting a supercharged Hellcat V8 next year. Logic would have it that Dodge’s NASCAR entry will be based on the Charger Hellcat.
“It’s no secret we’re exploring the Cup Series,” Stellantis NV spokesperson Tony Sapienza said in an interview, according to the Detroit News. “Everyone said it was impossible for us to come back in 2027. So we are targeting 2028.”
But that could happen much sooner—as early as the Daytona 500 on February 21, 2027. Citing “multiple people briefed on the situation but not authorized to speak publicly,” The Athletic earlier this week reported that Dodge is putting the finishing touches on its Cup return for the 2027 season as the series’ fourth manufacturer besides Chevrolet (with the Camaro), Ford (Mustang), and Toyota (Camry).
According to the report, Dodge’s return to NASCAR would be facilitated by Kaulig Racing, the same outfit that manages the five-truck Ram Truck Series entry. The team would enter two Dodge NASCARs in the Cup Series, replacing its current two-car Chevy Camaro entry.
Chevy, Ford and Toyota Are Helping Dodge Return to NASCAR
Dodge’s NASCAR return would be timed with the return of the supercharged V8 Charger in its roadgoing Charger. Ironically, the biggest hurdle in this plan may be the racing engine. In the NASCAR Cup Series, each manufacturer uses a different engine built by engine shops, unlike the Truck Series where teams use a shared-spec V8 engine.
Designing and building an engine in such a short time span is almost impossible. But The Athletic notes that Dodge has partnered with an existing Chevrolet engine supplier—Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)—to accelerate its entry into NASCAR. The only problem is that ECR is not allowed to supply Dodge with a recast Chevy engine; it must provide a powerplant with distinct technical differences to the Chevrolet-bound motor.
The arrangement has Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota’s blessing, but only as a short-term solution until Dodge finds a different engine builder. The three automakers are reportedly aware that Dodge’s entry will increase NASCAR Cup Series’ appeal, which is something they all stand to gain from.
NASCAR is America’s most-watched motorsport with a fan base of 20 million and an average TV viewership of 2.4 million per race. NASCAR has Three National Series: the top-tier Cup Series, the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity Series), and the third-tier Craftsman Truck Series featuring pickup-style race trucks.