A Potential Return to the Cup Series
A report from early 2026 suggests that Dodge may make its comeback to the NASCAR Cup Series as soon as the 2027 season, a move that would restore the number of manufacturers to four and add another American brand to the grid.
Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, has reportedly cleared the most critical technical obstacles, completing wind‑tunnel evaluations of a Dodge Charger prototype and advancing engine development toward competition readiness.
Kaulig Racing’s Role
The effort is being led by Kaulig Racing, a small but competitive organization that currently fields Ram trucks and is slated to run Dodge Chargers despite lacking direct manufacturer backing.
Drivers AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon have already turned heads with strong performances for Kaulig, showing that the team can compete even without full factory support.
Engineering Milestones
Wind‑tunnel testing has already provided valuable aerodynamic data, allowing engineers to fine‑tune the Charger’s shape for the high‑speed ovals that dominate the Cup schedule.
Engine development has also progressed, with the new powerplant passing durability benchmarks that were previously unattainable for a brand returning after a long absence.
If the program stays on schedule, the debut would coincide with the 2027 Daytona 500, a milestone that both Stellantis and Dodge acknowledge as ambitious but achievable.