The last time Dodge left a NASCAR Cup Series race with a championship, Brad Keselowski was celebrating with Team Penske in 2012. Then the manufacturer disappeared from the sport’s top level, leaving fans to wonder when, or if, it would return. Now, that wait is over.
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But Dodge is not coming back alone, and the team chosen to carry its name has plenty to prove.
“This is a very exciting moment for both Chris Rice and me. We launched Kaulig Racing a decade ago and have overcome so many challenges together, which makes it even more remarkable to be announced as the anchor team for Dodge’s return to the NASCAR Cup Series,” team owner Matt Kaulig said.
The announcement came Monday at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Kaulig Racing will field two Dodge Chargers in the 2027 Cup Series, restoring the fourth manufacturer alongside Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.
Dodge last competed in the series in 2012, when Keselowski won its most recent championship. His win at Dover Motor Speedway that season remains the brand’s last Cup win.
For NASCAR, this is a significant return. Bringing another manufacturer onto the grid has been a priority for years. Yet the announcement also exposes the amount of work still ahead. Kaulig currently runs Chevrolet cars in Cup, so switching to Dodge means building a different manufacturer program while preparing for a season that begins in February.
The timeline is especially tight. Dodge executive Tim Kuniskis acknowledged that the company had chosen speed over a longer development period.
“Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘watch this,'” he said. “It’s going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA.”
That confidence will soon meet NASCAR’s technical requirements. NASCAR says Dodge has passed the wind-tunnel stage of its car approval process. Production body panels are expected in mid-November for further checks. The process usually takes around 18 months, and Dodge has little room for delay before the 2027 season.
The engine question has also followed the comeback throughout its development. Earnhardt Childress Racing (ECR), which builds engines for Chevrolet teams, has been widely reported as Dodge’s expected supplier.
However, neither Dodge nor Kaulig has officially announced an engine partner. NASCAR president John Probst confirmed the engine will comply with the rulebook, leaving the final details to the teams.
Kaulig’s driver lineup is another piece still missing. The team will announce its 2027 drivers during championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A.J. Allmendinger and Ty Dillon are expected to return, but neither have been confirmed for the Dodge entries.
Kaulig will also reveal the new Dodge Cup car on December 4 at the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The event will include the Dodge Sno-Brawl, a celebrity race featuring equally prepared Dodge Charger late models.
There is no plan to expand NASCAR’s 36-charter limit to accommodate the new manufacturer. Dodge’s arrival will therefore add competition without creating four extra guaranteed starting positions. Kaulig understands the responsibility that comes with the deal.
“I am proud of the stability and support this partnership brings to our organization, which allows us to build a winning program for many years to come,” Kaulig said.
Dodge has secured its way back into Cup. Now Kaulig must turn a long-awaited reunion into a team capable of fighting Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota on Sundays.