Dodge Is Back in NASCAR's Cup Series, Two Years Early, With Engines Built in a Chevy Shop

Dodge announced Monday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas that it is returning to the NASCAR Cup Series, giving the series four manufacturers alongside Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, the AP reported via WCVB.

Kaulig Racing will field two Dodge Chargers, likely starting at the exhibition Clash at Daytona on Feb. 13, then the Daytona 500 eight days later. AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon are expected in the seats, with a formal announcement planned for championship weekend in Homestead.

The shortcut

Dodge's Ram brand returned to the Truck Series in 2026 with Cup plans for 2028. Dodge reportedly skipped part of the engine timeline by partnering with Earnhardt Childress Racing to build Dodge-spec engines alongside its Chevrolet work. The Athletic reported Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota allowed it because a fourth manufacturer helps the series.

"Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, 'Watch this,'" said Tim Kuniskis, head of American brands at Stellantis North America. NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell called it "a significant milestone for the sport."

Dez's take

Big talk from Kuniskis, who says he wants to turn NASCAR's estimated 20 million fans into 80 or 100 million. Kaulig's five trucks are all outside the top 10 this year. We'll see at Daytona.

What we still don't know

Driver contracts are not final, and NASCAR says it is still courting other manufacturers ahead of a new engine platform planned for 2030-2032.

The developments described above are drawn from contemporaneous reporting by WCVB/AP. As of Thursday morning, kaulig Racing will run two Chargers starting at the Clash in February. AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon are expected to drive. Boston Uncut will update this account if primary agencies release additional records, schedules or statements that change the public facts. Readers seeking the underlying documents should consult the linked sources, which carry the full quotations and agency attributions used here. Where allegations appear, they are labeled as allegations; where vote totals or rankings are cited, they reflect the figures published by the named outlet or agency at the time of reporting.

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