Dodge has all but officially announced its return to the NASCAR Cup Series for 2027. Jordan Bianchi, motorsports writer for The Athletic, reported on Tuesday morning that the manufacturer is finalizing a deal to make a return to NASCAR’s premier series next year.
Details regarding which teams will be fielding Dodge have yet to be revealed. Dodge last competed in the Cup Series in 2012, with Brad Keselowski delivering a championship for the manufacturer in their final year piloting the No. 2 Dodge Charger for Team Penske.
Dodge Finalizing Deal For NASCAR Cup Return in 2027
In an article by Bianchi, the insider reported that there are still aspects of the deal that need to be addressed. However, everyone involved in the situation believes that Dodge will be ready to hit the track in the Cup Series beginning in 2027.
In addition, Dodge’s parent company, Stellantis, has made moves to put together a formal announcement regarding the manufacturer’s return to the Cup Series for the first time in 15 years.
“Negotiations are still ongoing and hurdles remain, those people said, but all parties involved believe Dodge is on track to be the fourth manufacturer on the grid for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 21. Stellantis, Dodge’s parent company, has already begun making plans to announce its return to Cup for the first time in over a decade,” Bianchi wrote.
Dodge returned to the Craftsman Truck Series ahead of this season for the first time since their exit from the sport in 2012. Kaulig Racing is the sole team fielding the manufacturer as the organization has brought Dodge Ram trucks to the racetrack full-time in 2026.
One of Kaulig’s Rams trucks is a “free agent” truck with multiple past Cup Series stars getting behind the wheel. Those former Cup drivers include Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, and Ryan Newman.
Team Penske was the last Cup Series team to field Dodges in 2012. The organization switched to Ford following Dodge’s exit ahead of the 2013 Cup Series season.
Who Will Field Dodges in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027?
With Kaulig Racing’s connection to Ram in the Craftsman Truck Series, there is reason to believe they will be the flagship team for Dodge in 2027. However, nothing of the sort has been confirmed to be true.
Brad Keselowski is leaving his co-owned RFK Racing team at the conclusion of the 2026 season in a shocking turn of events. With his past connection to Dodge, “Bad Brad” could make the jump to Kaulig in 2027 and get back behind the wheel for the manufacturer next year.
Yet, like Kaulig Racing, nothing has been confirmed on the matter.
The NASCAR Cup Series has three OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) — Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. The three have been the mainstay in the Cup Series for nearly a decade-and-a-half in Dodge’s absence.
If one thing is for sure, it is that Dodge’s expected return to the Cup Series has added an interesting wrinkle to the 2027 silly season.
With much unknown on where the manufacturer will fit into the picture, it will make for some interesting conversations for the rest of the 2026 season and the offseason.
Dodge Finalizing Deal to Make 2027 NASCAR Return