Dale Earnhardt Jr. is enthusiastic about the prospect of Dodge making a comeback in NASCAR. According to Chris Knight of Catchfence, the manufacturer is considering rejoining the Truck Series as early as 2026, with plans to establish a full Cup Series program by 2027 or 2028. While Earnhardt acknowledges that this timeline is ambitious, he is excited about the possibility.
“That’s very aggressive for the Cup effort, which I don’t think they’ll be able to do that quickly,” Earnhardt said on the ‘Dale Jr. Download’. “I think this is awesome. Dodge has such a cool reputation. They’ve had ups and downs over the years, but to me, they remain a true muscle car brand. The Dodge Charger from the ’70s is an iconic car, and the Challenger is another standout. It’s just a great brand. I’m thrilled they’re considering a return and hope it’s successful.”
Jordan Bianchi of ‘The Athletic’ reports that Dodge has already started seeking NASCAR’s formal approval to compete in the Truck Series alongside Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. Dodge previously had a strong presence in the Truck Series from 1995 to 2016, winning the manufacturers’ championship three times (2001, 2003, and 2004). Notably, Bobby Hamilton Sr. secured the driver’s title in 2004, followed by Ted Musgrave in 2005. Dodge left the Cup Series after Brad Keselowski won the 2012 championship driving the Team Penske No. 2 Dodge. Since Toyota’s entry in 2007, NASCAR has not introduced a new manufacturer to the Cup Series.
If Dodge does return to Cup competition, Earnhardt believes multiple teams would be interested in partnering with them.
“There’s a lot of discussion about which teams would align with Dodge and what their Cup programs would look like,” Earnhardt noted. “We’ll keep an ear to the ground … I’m sure plenty of Cup teams see this as a great opportunity.”
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