Dodge has officially confirmed its return to the NASCAR Cup Series, announcing that the brand will compete in 2027. This timeline is one year earlier than many industry observers had anticipated. The announcement took place on Monday in Las Vegas during the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, a major event for the automotive aftermarket industry.
With this move, the Cup Series will once again feature four distinct manufacturers. Dodge will join the established teams from Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. The 2027 season is scheduled to include 36 races, kicking off in mid-February and concluding with the championship event in early November.
Kaulig Racing has been selected to field Dodge’s initial two-car team. The cars, based on the Dodge Charger, are expected to make their first appearance in the exhibition race known as the Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 13. The team’s true competitive debut will occur eight days later during the prestigious Daytona 500.
While formal driver assignments are pending, AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon are widely expected to occupy the two Kaulig seats. NASCAR plans to make the official driver announcements during the championship weekend in Homestead, Florida.
Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands at Stellantis North America, emphasized the aggressive nature of the project. He noted that while a three-year development cycle would have been safer, Dodge chose to plan, test, and perfect the car simultaneously on the track. Kuniskis described this approach as exponentially harder but true to the brand’s DNA, which has never favored a slow pace.
Dodge last competed in the Cup Series through the 2012 season. The brand departed the top tier in the same month it celebrated a Cup title with Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing. That victory marked Dodge’s first championship since Richard Petty’s sixth title in 1975.
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell praised the partnership in a statement, calling the return a significant milestone for the sport. He highlighted the deep passion the Stellantis team has for NASCAR and expressed excitement about seeing Dodge on the racetrack, particularly at the Daytona 500.
The automaker’s path back to the Cup Series was paved by its re-entry into the NASCAR Truck Series in 2026 under the Ram brand. Although Kaulig’s five trucks finished outside the top 10 in the series standings heading into the Homestead finale, the campaign served as a testing ground. Kuniskis stated that Ram aims to leverage NASCAR’s estimated 20 million fan base to reach 80 or 100 million people.
To meet the accelerated timeline, Dodge partnered with Earnhardt Childress Racing to build Dodge-spec engines alongside their regular Chevrolet operations. The other three manufacturers reportedly allowed this unique arrangement because they believed adding a fourth competitor would benefit the overall health of the series.
John Probst, president of NASCAR Event Management, indicated that the sanctioning body is still seeking additional manufacturers. He noted that a new engine platform planned for the 2030 to 2032 window could provide an appealing entry point for other automakers, citing the financial opportunities available in the North American car market through motorsports marketing.
