Dodge Could Return To NASCAR Sooner Than Expected  

The Breakdown

• Dodge has plans to rejoin NASCAR, and it might happen sooner than expected.   
• Dodge was planning to return in 2028, but recent breakthroughs have made a 2027 return possible.   
• Dodge still has challenges ahead in developing its NASCAR car.   

Last year, when Ram announced it wanted to race in the Craftsman Truck Series, CEO Tim Kuniskis said he wanted to rejoin the Cup Series, too, and we all know Ram has no car in its lineup. That means Dodge is likely returning to the premier racing series, and it could happen sooner than expected.

According to a new report from The Athletic, Dodge was planning to return to NASCAR in 2028, but recent development breakthroughs have accelerated that timeline. The automaker has allegedly already completed initial wind tunnel testing and is figuring out how it will produce the engines.

Challenges remain, according to the "multiple industry sources" who spoke to the publication, so a 2027 return isn’t certain just yet. The NASCAR season usually kicks off in February, so Dodge has less than eight months to finalize and validate the car.

Dodge’s return to NASCAR would give the series four manufacturers, with the Stellantis brand joining Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. Dodge left the series in 2012.

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Motor1’s Take: With how quickly Stellantis has been working to revive its American brands, we expect Dodge to be working double-time to return to NASCAR. That effort may see them in the series sooner than expected, which would be awesome to see a Charger racing alongside a Camaro and Mustang—and the Camry.

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