Dodge is returning to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, becoming the fourth manufacturer on the grid alongside Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford. This is a year earlier than most projections, and there will be a tight turn-around for next season.
This was officially announced at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas on Monday evening, and the car will be unveiled at the Snowball Derby in December.
The manufacturer will partner with Kaulig Racing, which currently runs Chevrolets at the Cup level. However, the team also fields a fleet of five Ram 1500s in the Truck Series, which Stellantis brought back to the third level of NASCAR ahead of 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.”
Added Matt Kaulig, owner of Kaulig Racing: “This is a very exciting moment for both Chris Rice and me. We launched Kaulig Racing a decade ago and have overcome so 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.”
Though not officially announced yet, the Dodge entries will utilize engines built by ECR, which provides Chevrolet engines to teams like Richard Childress Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and Kaulig Racing.
Kaulig is also expected to retain their current driver lineup of A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 16 and Ty Dillon in the No. 10, with an official announcement coming during the Homestead race weekend. The team has two wins in the Cup Series, both with Allmendinger, at the Indianapolis Road Course in 2021 and the Charlotte Roval in 2023.
Dodge has a lengthy history in NASCAR, dating all the way back to 1950. They won two manufacturer titles in 1970 and 1975, but they also won several driver’s championships. NASCAR legend Richard Petty drove a Dodge to three of his seven Cup Series titles in the ‘70s, and Brad Keselowski won the 2012 Cup title in a Dodge in what ultimately became their last year of competition until this latest revival.
They disappeared from the grid when the Gen-6 car was introduced in 2013, and there have only been three manufacturers at the Cup level ever since. The Next Gen car may make the transition easier, as they don’t have to build the entire car from the ground up like previous eras and instead will utilize NASCAR’s extensive network of external suppliers.
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