Dodge cuts 12-year NASCAR hiatus short with 2027 Cup Series entry

Dodge will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, returning to the top tier of American stock car racing one year earlier than planned. The announcement, made Monday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, restores the series to a four-manufacturer format by adding Dodge to Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. The 36-race season is scheduled to begin in mid-February and conclude with the championship race in early November.

Kaulig Racing will field the first two Dodge Chargers, with AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon expected to drive the entries starting at the Daytona 500. The move gives the brand an immediate presence in the premier division after its last Cup Series appearance in 2012. That season, Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing won the championship, ending a title drought that had persisted since Richard Petty’s 1975 victory.

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell called the development a major milestone for the sport. In a statement, he said the commitment shows Dodge’s belief in the series and gives fans another reason to look forward to upcoming seasons. O’Donnell described the partnership between NASCAR, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, and the Stellantis team as phenomenal, citing their shared passion for showcasing leading global brands.

Dodge’s path to 2027 was accelerated by a unique arrangement with Earnhardt Childress Racing. Typically, new manufacturers require a two-year period to develop Cup Series engines. By building Dodge-spec powerplants alongside ECR’s regular Chevrolet operations, the brand bypassed part of that timeline. Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota approved the arrangement, agreeing that a fourth competitor would benefit the series’ competitiveness.

The accelerated return follows Dodge’s re-entry into the NASCAR Truck Series in 2026 under the Ram brand. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis had previously vowed to approach the Cup Series return in a disruptive manner. He expressed a goal to grow NASCAR’s estimated fan base of 20 million to 80 or 100 million. The brand’s current focus remains on its Truck Series campaign, where Kaulig Racing fields five entries. All five trucks are positioned outside the top 10 in the series standings as the season finale nears at Homestead, Florida.

The 2027 season marks the first time Dodge has competed in the Cup Series since 2012. The brand’s return brings a new engine and team configuration to a field that has operated with three manufacturers in recent years. Kaulig Racing’s involvement provides a direct bridge from the Truck Series to the Cup Series, allowing the brand to leverage its existing infrastructure while introducing new technology to the top level.