Dodge will rejoin the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, and this time the comeback has a face, a timeline, and a team. Tim Kuniskis made it official Tuesday while previewing Stellantis' SEMA Show stand in Las Vegas for 2026. Kaulig Racing will anchor the effort.
Ram's 2026 move back into the NASCAR Truck Series was the opening move, and Kaulig Racing ran that program. Now the relationship expands into the top tier, and Kaulig will anchor both the Dodge and Ram programs. Dodge SRT Racing is set to oversee the whole return under its mandate over Stellantis' North American motorsports programs, which include NASCAR and NHRA.
The new Charger Cup car gets its reveal on December 4 during the 59th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. Fans can watch via FloRacing and the FloRacing-provided NASCAR Channel.
Before the cover comes off the car, Kaulig will reveal its 2027 driver lineup during NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. AJ Allmendinger is expected to stay in the No. 16, and his contract reportedly runs through 2029. Ty Dillon's No. 10 seat remains up in the air for 2027, since his current deal reportedly runs out at the end of this year.
Kuniskis, who heads American Brands, SRT Performance, and Direct Connection for Stellantis North America, did not pretend the schedule is comfortable.
"Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, 'watch this,'" Kuniskis said. "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."
The last Dodge in Cup competition was Brad Keselowski's No. 2 Miller Lite Charger, which won the 2012 championship for Team Penske. The brand walked away on a high note and then missed the next 14 seasons. Its first Cup victory dates back to 1953. The 2027 return gives race fans a fourth manufacturer alongside Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota.
[Images: Stellantis, TTAC Library]
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