Annals of Marketing – Dodge Returns to NASCAR

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Dodge Returning to NASCAR

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The Dodge brand [formerly owned by FCA and now owned by Stellantis – AutoCrat], said today that it is returning to NASCAR Cup Series racing, at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show.

“Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘watch this,’” said Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection division. “Sure, we could spend three years planning, testing and perfecting … or we could do all three in real time, on the track. It’s going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA. LFG.”

The NASCAR Cup Series  return is led by Dodge SRT Racing, which leads all North American motorsports efforts, including NASCAR, NHRA and other series.

NASCAR Cup Return Timeline

  • During NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kaulig Racing will announce its driver lineup for the 2027 season.
  • The next stop will be the 59th annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, where Dodge will hold The Dodge Sno-Brawl. Celebrity drivers will take to the track in a head-to-head challenge in equally prepared Dodge Charger late-model stock cars for some friendly competition. Additional race details will be announced at a later date. Dodge will also reveal the race car that will wear the brand’s livery in NASCAR Cup Series competition

Fans can watch the reveal of the new Dodge stock car at the 59th annual Snowball Derby via livestream on FloRacing and on the NASCAR Channel courtesy of Flo Racing on 4 December.

More on Dodge

“For 112 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Today, that legacy roars louder than ever in the lineup of Dodge, America’s performance brand.

“The arrival of the new 600-horsepower 2027 Dodge Charger Super Bee Launch Edition — the quickest, fastest and most powerful SIXPACK Charger and the highest specific horsepower muscle car ever — is the newest addition to the award-winning Dodge Charger lineup, which also features:

  • SIXPACK-powered 420-horsepower Dodge Charger R/T with the most standard horsepower of any muscle car
  • 550-horsepower Dodge Charger Scat Pack, powered by the 3.0L twin-turbo SIXPACK high-output (H.O.) engine — the most powerful Hurricane engine in production

“Every Charger comes standard with all-wheel drive and offers two-door coupe or four-door sedan configurations — because with performance comes choice.

“The Dodge lineup is also fueled by the most powerful gas SUV ever, the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, powered by the legendary supercharged HEMI V8 engine. The Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak breaks free from convention with the three-row SUV, unlocking more than 20 million potential customization combinations. The Dodge Durango R/T 392 delivers the most horsepower per dollar for a gas SUV, and the 360-horsepower 5.7-liter Durango GT HEMI AWD remains the most affordable AWD V-8 in the industry.

“The purchase of a SIXPACK-powered Dodge Charger Super Bee Launch Edition, Charger Scat Pack or Durango SRT Hellcat model includes one day of performance driving instruction at Radford Racing School, the official Dodge//SRT high-performance driving school.” Stellantis said.

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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