The Stellantis-owned Dodge brand announced Monday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas that it will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, a year earlier than initially planned. The move restores the series to four manufacturers alongside Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota for a 36-race schedule that begins in mid-February and crowns a champion in early November.
Kaulig Racing will field a two-car team using the Dodge Charger beginning with the Daytona 500. AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon are expected to drive the entries. The accelerated timeline was made possible by a partnership with Earnhardt Childress Racing to build Dodge-spec engines alongside its Chevrolet operations, an arrangement the other three manufacturers approved because they believed a fourth brand would benefit the sport's overall health.
"Dodge's return to the NASCAR Cup Series is a significant milestone for the sport," NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said in a statement. "This commitment speaks to Dodge's belief in our sport and gives fans another reason to be excited about what's ahead." O'Donnell added that the partnership with Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis and the Stellantis team "has been nothing short of phenomenal."
Dodge previously competed in NASCAR through the 2012 season, departing the same month it celebrated a Cup championship with Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing — its first title since Richard Petty's 1975 crown. The brand re-entered the Truck Series with Ram in 2026 with plans to reach the Cup Series by 2028 before moving that target up to 2027.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
English (US)·