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Over the last few years, rumors have been circulating about car manufacturer Dodge returning to NASCAR competition. The manufacturer left the sport after the 2012 season when they won the championship with Team Penske. Brad Keselowski earned five victories in 2012 on his way to the title. Soon after, Team Penske switched to Ford for the 2013 season, after Dodge wouldn’t give the organization a multi-year deal.
The speculation began again after Stewart-Haas Racing owner Tony Stewart announced a partnership with Dodge to field two NHRA cars in the Camping World Drag Racing this season. Stewart is being looked at as the Auburn Hills-based manufacturer’s best chance of returning, as Stewart-Haas Racing’s contract with Ford expires in 2024.
But according to a recent report from the Sports Business Journal, Dodge’s talks with NASCAR about a comeback in the sport's top series as the fourth OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) has stalled. However, NASCAR’s search for a new manufacturer to join the sport’s three national series continues.
Motorsports reporter Adam Stern shared a post on Twitter, by writing:
“@Dodge’s talks with @NASCAR about re-entering the series as the fourth OEM have stalled, per sources. Dodge says that it is focused on the NHRA and "not expanding our efforts into other forms of racing at this time."
NASCAR executives have been working behind the scenes in recent years to line-up another manufacturer against Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota in the Cup Series in the future.
As reported by SBJ, Dodge recently told them that they are not working on expanding into any other form of racing at this time.
In a statement, Dodge said:
“Dodge is focused on our NHRA Camping World Drag Racing series efforts and the NHRA ‘Countdown to the Championship’ with Tony Stewart Racing and not expanding our efforts into other forms of racing at this time.”
Tony Stewart spoke about working with Dodge in NASCAR earlier this season
Hall of Famer and Stewart-Haas Racing owner Tony Stewart has had a good relationship with Dodge since his pre-stock car racing career. In the NHRA announcement earlier this season, he expressed his feelings about working once again with Dodge. Stewart said:
“It’ll be nice to work with Dodge and Mopar again after sharing success together in USAC and the World of Outlaws nearly two decades ago. We are certainly setting the bar high and look forward to being competitive from the start.”
Stay tuned for an official update on this topic.
