For the first time since 2012, there will be a Dodge on the grid for the Daytona 500.
Stellantis made it official at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas on Nov. 2: Dodge returns to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, a full year ahead of the original plan. Kaulig Racing will be the anchor team, fielding two Dodge Chargers. During Championship Weekend at Homestead, the team confirmed its drivers: AJ Allmendinger stays in the No. 16 and Ty Dillon stays in the No. 10.
Why it matters. Dodge walked away from NASCAR after 2012, the same season Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing won the title in a Dodge. Ram already came back to the Truck Series in 2026 with a Kaulig-led effort, and a fourth manufacturer in Cup gives fans another brand to pull for and adds more competition at the top level.
The drivers. Allmendinger, 44, has been with Kaulig since 2019. He won the team's first Cup race on the Indianapolis road course in 2021 and added another on the Charlotte ROVAL in 2023. Dillon will enter his 10th full Cup season next year, his third with Kaulig.
Reality check. Kaulig's Cup cars sat 25th (Allmendinger) and 34th (Dillon) in points this year, and the Ram trucks are still chasing their first top-five finish. Building a brand-new Cup program in about three months is a huge lift. Don't expect Chargers in victory lane at Daytona, but keep an eye on the road courses, where Allmendinger is always dangerous.
Sources: NASCAR.com, RACER, Associated Press, Jayski.
