Ram will be making its NASCAR comeback with the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026. The partnership will see Kaulig Racing field up to five Ram 1500 trucks and the Stellantis brand's big money investment raises serious pressures on the existing manufacturers in the sport.This Saturday (August 23), Ram named Kaulig Racing as its lead factory partner for the Truck Series. Kaulig, which is already established across Xfinity and Cup, gives Ram an experienced anchor team to field multiple trucks. That kind of immediate infrastructure could help reduce rookie mistakes and also sends a signal that Ram is serious about hitting the ground running.Ram's arrival is all set to reshuffle manufacturer dynamics in NASCAR. Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota have split the sport's sponsors and talent pools. A new factory-backed Ram program forces those OEMs to defend market share on track and in marketing deals off it. Jordan Bianchi also noted that the addition of a fourth OEM will raise "the level of competitiveness in the garage", and boost investment in mid-pack teams.Moreover, there is already talk of Ram entering the Xfinity and Cup Series. The brand, which spun off from Dodge in 2010, last officially raced in NASCAR's top series in 2012, when Brad Keselowski won the Cup championship in Team Penske's Dodge.Ram's willingness to spend on a multi-year factory effort and to sign Kaulig to field five trucks could force the existing OEMs to reassess how they allocate resources. Five teams could mean bigger manufacturer support deals and more sponsor dollars tied to Ram. The brand could outspend other manufacturers in securing resources.Perhaps the most immediate effect could be a talent auction. Ram and Kaulig have not yet announced any drivers for the 2026 Truck Series season. However, they are rumored to be launching a driver-search reality show. The hunt for talented drivers could trigger a fight to lock up Cup drivers and rising Truck stars in the future.Ram is undoubtedly set to create new challenges for Chevy, Ford, and Toyota in the garage and on the sponsorship front, which could make NASCAR more competitive in future years.Ram and Kaulig "doing it big" in 2026Ram's comeback will mark its first factory-supported NASCAR effort since 2012. The announcement was made at a Ram dealership near Daytona. Team owner Matt Kaulig and Ram executives emphasized their shared values and ambition to do it big."I know Ram doesn't do anything small, as you can see by the dealerships and everything else, and I know at Kaulig Racing, we don't do anything small. So when we're going into the truck series, we're not going to kind of silently come in or just kind of tiptoe our way in. We're doing it big," Kaulig said (via NASCAR.com).Kaulig Racing has been a full-time contender in both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series for about a decade. The team's industry experience and operational base in Welcome, North Carolina will prove invaluable.