Dodge is officially pushing to get back onto the NASCAR Cup Series grid, and the garage is hearing the timeline just jumped forward. The automaker is actively hustling to develop its new Cup car for a 2027 debut, stripping a full year off initial 2028 projections. This aggressive acceleration is directly driven by the broader corporate strategy at Stellantis to force its heritage American brands back into the center of national motorsports.
If the engineering holds up, Dodge will join Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota to push the premier series to four distinct manufacturers. The company has a heavy legacy in stock car racing but walked away entirely following its 2012 championship season. The phased comeback is already visible on the track this 2026 season with Dodge’s sister brand, Ram, currently competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Finding a team to run the new cars is the immediate hurdle. NASCAR is not expanding beyond its hard cap of 36 Cup charters, meaning Dodge must convince an established garage to drop their current manufacturer. The spotlight is squarely on Kaulig Racing. The organization already fields five Ram trucks in the lower series but currently runs two Chevrolet cars in the Cup Series piloted by Ty Dillon and A.J. Allmendinger.
That split loyalty makes Kaulig the obvious target. A transition is highly anticipated, according to a recent report by Yardbarker verifying the strict 36-charter limit and positioning Kaulig Racing’s current Chevrolet lineup as the expected transition point. The timeline is not fully locked down due to ongoing aerodynamic testing, but the push for 2027 is real.