The automotive brand Dodge is set to reappear on the premier stock-car stage after a 15-year pause. At the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas on 2 November, Stellantis North America announced that the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series will feature a factory-backed Dodge entry fielded by Kaulig Racing. The move marks the first time the marque will compete full-time since the 2012 season, and it instantly injects a fresh narrative into the sport ahead of the Daytona 500.
Announcement, timeline and official statements
The reveal came from Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection at Stellantis. He emphasized the speed of the decision: “Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘watch this,’” Kuniskis said, noting that Dodge chose to develop, test and race the car in real-time rather than over a multi-year development window. The schedule is tight: driver line-ups are slated to be announced during the Homestead-Miami Speedway championship weekend, while the new Charger liveries will debut at the Snowball Derby on 4 December 2026.
Kaulig Racing partnership and driver lineup
Kaulig Racing, founded in 2016, will become the first non-Chevrolet team in its history to run a factory program in the Cup division. Current Kaulig drivers Ty Dillon (car No. 10) and AJ Allmendinger (car No. 16) are expected to continue, though the official roster will be confirmed at Homestead. The partnership also ties into the team’s recent work in the Craftsman Truck Series, where five RAM 1500 trucks bear the Stellantis badge, providing a testbed for technology and crew coordination.
The upcoming “Dodge Sno-Brawl” at the 59th Snowball Derby will showcase the new Cup car in a head-to-head showdown using identically prepared Charger late-model stock cars. This event serves both as a marketing spectacle and a real-world performance gauge before the season opens with the Wheatly Vodka Clash on 13 February 2027 at Daytona International Speedway.
Historical context, engine plans and future outlook
Historically, Dodge has amassed 217 Cup victories and 254 pole positions, ranking fourth in wins and third in poles among manufacturers. The last Cup pole came at Kansas Speedway in April 2012, and the final win was Brad Keselowski’s triumph at Dover in September 2012, which also delivered Dodge’s fifth Cup championship that year. Re-entering now, the brand aims to leverage those legacy numbers while modernizing its powertrain strategy.
Sources close to the project indicate that the 2027 cars will initially run engines supplied by ECR Engines, a proven partner in NASCAR power units. The long-term goal is to develop a dedicated Dodge engine package for future seasons, echoing the brand’s ethos of rapid innovation. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell praised the deal, calling it “a significant milestone” that adds excitement for fans and showcases the sport’s ability to elevate world-class brands.
