NASCAR has been on a hit-and-trial routine to regain the attention it has missed out on in past some years. And as Steve Phelps, NASCAR President, mentioned yesterday, “that was a great week for us” and it indeed was. To put it in numbers, this year’s Daytona 500 brought the largest purse of all time at $30,331,250; a whopping 8% uptick from last year. As for the TV ratings, the Great American Race did not disappoint. Commercial slots on Fox sold out in record time, 6.76 million (13% more than 2024) joined to watch the broadcast, even merch sales were up by 12% compared to 2023. And what can we talk about the environment?! Obviously, it was the most-watched event of the weekend. But there was some other level of electric feel to the legendary Daytona International Speedway. If not the Daytona 500, 

The other races through the week brought in great numbers for NASCAR this year. Thursday’s Duels grabbed 12% more television audience, rising to 1.84m from 2023’s 1.64m. The same rise was seen for Wednesday’s Cup Series (916,000 viewers on FS1) and the trackside retail sales reached an all time high as well since the last record of 2014. Who says the hype is reducing? Sure, the changing car designs, the cost of watching the event live, the increasing competition with alternative motorsports options, and the discussions of introducing EVs to the asphalt are all impacting the interest, but NASCAR has an answer.

Sure, ‘the annual “close to adding a new manufacturer” talks’ have made rounds ever since Dodge left a hole back in 2012 and is getting boring at this point, but, BUT! we’re much much closer to getting one, or maybe two, new OEs to the sport. While there are no naming names right now, we have some heavy competition in place with Dodge and Honda both leading so far. 

From the gritty rumble of Richard Petty’s Dodge Charger tearing up the ’70s to Dale Earnhardt’s black No. 3 Monte Carlo haunting the ’90s, NASCAR has always been about the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Ford’s Thunderbird—think Bill Elliott’s 1985 speed blitz. Those who know the sport’s history knew there were more car manufacturers in the picture. Who can forget Buddy Baker breaking the 200 mph barrier in a Dodge Charger? Those were the glory days of stock racing, and that’s where NASCAR wants to return. Its efforts to bring new manufacturers to the sport haven’t been a secret. Ever since the end of the 2024 season, NASCAR has been in a tussle to bring more OEMs to the table, and NASCAR President Steve Phelps has revealed the 4th manufacturer to challenge Ford, Toyota, and Chevy’s dominance is close to joining the sport.

Talking to Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal over the weekend, Phelps didn’t dodge the question about the possible new additions. Stern asked him, “We know that you’re bullish about bringing a fourth OEM into the sport, maybe even a fifth, what do you think are the chances that we could see one as soon as next year?”

Stern responded, “Listen, we’re in some discussions. It’s a lot of work, right? There’s a lot of prep work that needs to happen even if we came to an agreement today. I don’t know what that timing is; to me, it’s really more about getting it done, making an announcement for a fourth, ideally, we’d have a fifth.”

Indeed, if a manufacturer is to join NASCAR by the next year, that means they must have already completed their engine and body submission processes. Hence, if anything, it is very likely that the papers are already down and we all are just living in the suspense of the announcement. Back in March 2024, when John Probst, NASCAR Sr. Executive VP and Chief Racing Development Officer, appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he confirmed that it can take anywhere between 18-24 months for a new OE to enter the sport and that is after the existing manufacturers agree. “A timeline for a new OEM coming into our sport is somewhere in the 18- to 24-month period. So, there would be an outside chance we could do it quicker. And certainly, when all of our existing OEM partners are on board, which they are, you know the opportunity would exist, we may be able to expedite that, but under normal circumstances, 18 to 24 months.” 

Why the push? As Phelps laid it out: “My thinking, our existing three OEMs would be really happy about that. It just kind of creates more balance, obviously, but also it allows for additional funding to teams that aren’t getting the funding some of the other teams are getting.” Picture this—more cash for underdogs, leveling the playing field against the big players like Hendrick and Gibbs. “There’s a lot of benefits of having a new OE come in. They’ll come and advertise, talk about their brands, promote drivers—all of it’s accretive to the sport,” he added. That’s not just racing—it’s a marketing tsunami, pumping dollars and dazzle into NASCAR’s veins.

The formula is simple. NASCAR’s ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ tactic is quite attractive for new manufacturers. In exchange, the field is more evenly spread out. With more OEMs competing in every race, NASCAR could see a new wave of entertainment enter the sport. Look at the way F1 treats its manufacturers. While NASCAR doesn’t give its OEMs the same kind of freedom, creating that sense of competitiveness remains important to the sport. This entertainment factor is something NASCAR desperately needs. Its dwindling viewership is a matter of concern and perhaps bringing historic and new manufacturers to Dodge and Honda might be the twist fans need.

More significantly, it could help them avoid a situation like Martinsville last year. Who can forget the controversial moves involving Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon, Christopher Bell where the Chevys and the Toyotas essentially working as rolling blocks for their drivers up front. The ensuing chaos and penalties were enough for NASCAR to realize a long-term solution was needed outside of simple regulations. A new OEM could bring just that to the table.

Who’s the mystery OEM, and will they shake up 2025?

NASCAR’s fourth OEM rumors heat up: is Honda revving for the Cup?

Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota have ruled the asphalt since Dodge peeled out in 2012, leaving a void fans still mourn. Doug Yates, whose engines roar in Cup, Xfinity, and beyond, sees a ripe stage post-2024’s nail-biting season. Unlike F1’s Red Bull stranglehold or IndyCar’s Honda-Chevy duopoly, NASCAR’s a wide-open brawl—perfect for a new OEM to jump in and slug it out.

Honda’s the hot name, and it’s no shock. Word is, their IndyCar deal might sputter out after 2026—could NASCAR be the next pit stop? Yates, the engine-whispering wizard of Roush Yates Engines, is grinning too. “It’s definitely moving in the right direction,” he told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “I think we’ll see new OEMs in the Cup Series in 3 to 4 to 5 years.” When Yates talks—head of Ford’s powerhouse since 2003 alongside Jack Roush—we listen. Is he holding an ace up his sleeve?

Imagine it: Honda’s sleek muscle squaring off with Chastain’s Chevy or Suárez’s Toyota at a race weekend. Yates, with Hendrick Motorsports as Chevy’s engine kings, knows the game—more OEMs mean more chaos, cash, and competition. Phelps backs it: a fourth (or fifth!) manufacturer could turbocharger NASCAR’s vibe.

Then there is a possibility of Dodge returning to the track as even fans rile up for the legendary manufacturer to make a comeback. In fact, just a week before, it was Dodge in the leading race to join NASCAR. But no matter what happens, we know the competition will only improve and so will the legacy of the sport.

Fans, we’re on the cusp—three to five years feels like forever, but the wheels are turning. Honda, Dodge, or bust—who’s your pick for the new kid on the track?