Stellantis is one of the world’s largest multi-national automakers, with 14 brands under the moniker.
Dodge sits adjacent to Ram Trucks, which was split from the famous US manufacturer into its own brand more than a decade ago.
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis, who also heads up Ram Trucks, foreshadowed the possibility of a future Cup Series return.
Speaking after the Monday announcement, Kuniskis said the Truck Series entry is the first step towards a Cup Series return.
“We have a truck. I have the intention. I’m signing the deal with NASCAR. I’m going to Daytona. How am I going to do it? What is my team going to be? I don’t know. We’re looking for a date to the prom right now,” said Kuniskis of which team will run its trucks in 2026.
“How am I going to get into Cup? That depends on how I get to Trucks. How ever we get to Trucks will weight heavily on how I get to Cup. My intention is not to be a one hit wonder and go to Trucks but not Cup. That’s not our plan.”
It’s encouraging news for NASCAR fans who haven’t seen the Dodge brand in the Cup Series since 2012.
Dodge had a mic drop moment that year, winning the Cup Series with Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing.
Penske switched to Ford for 2013 and has been with the blue oval ever since.
For NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer John Probst, the runway to a Cup Series entry is a year and a half.
“We’re excited that they have interest in the Cup Series,” said Probst.
“If they decide that they are going to go that direction for us, it’s about an 18-month onboarding process, largely around the submission of the body.
“There will be, obviously, with a new OEM coming in, some work to be done on the engine so I’d say that 18-month runway would be pretty typical but it would be on the OEM to decide the timing, but the minimum would be 18 months.”
Entering the Truck Series is considerably easier than entering the Cup Series. The Truck Series uses a category-controlled NT1 engine from Ilmor, whereas every manufacturer in the Cup Series develops its own bespoke engine.
Probst said the engine architecture from 2012 is still relevant, albeit a long way behind where the current car makers are.
“I think the last time that engine ran was 2012,” said Probst of Dodge’s last NASCAR Cup Series program.
“The core components – the block, the head, the manifold are all still relevant, but as you know, our existing engine builders develop their engines every year so there’s been a gap there so there would be some development of that engine needed.”
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