Leaked images all but confirm Dodge’s return to NASCAR - Reports

A recent social media post has fueled serious speculation about Dodge making a comeback in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The image was shared on X by Speedcafe.

Dodge has been absent from NASCAR’s top division since 2012, when it left after winning the championship with Brad Keselowski. Its exit was triggered by Penske Racing’s switch to Ford and the lack of another competitive team to carry Dodge forward. Although Dodge vehicles appeared sporadically in regional or lower-tier series into the late 2010s, Stellantis (Dodge’s parent company) officially withdrew all support.

Speedcafe captioned the post about Dodge's potential return:

“The long-rumoured return of Dodge to NASCAR could be a matter of days away from being confirmed. #NASCAR.”

The biggest signal yet that Dodge is serious about a NASCAR comeback comes from a report by The Athletic, which claims that Dodge has already begun the approval process with NASCAR to rejoin the Truck Series as early as 2026. If successful, this would lay the groundwork for a full return to the NASCAR Cup Series by 2027 or 2028.

Dodge previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2001 to 2012 and the Truck Series from 1995, making it a familiar name in both categories.

According to the report, the current structure of NASCAR’s standardized Ilmor-built engines makes the environment more financially sustainable than when Dodge left. That’s another factor that could be driving the return.

Adding to the urgency is the fact that Honda is also being linked with a Cup Series entry. As Racer reported, Honda may exit IndyCar by 2026, freeing it up to join NASCAR. If so, Dodge will be competing with Honda for the coveted fourth-manufacturer slot alongside Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota.

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FireKeepers Casino 400 kicks off crucial stretch as NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan

NASCAR fans will turn their attention to Michigan International Speedway this weekend as the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series reaches a critical point. The FireKeepers Casino 400 marks the start of the In-Season Challenge with a new format. Michigan’s race is the first of three seeding events for this challenge, raising the stakes for teams and drivers going for playoff positioning.

The first FireKeepers Casino 400 in 1969 was won by David Pearson, a future Hall of Famer, driving the #17 Ford for Holman-Moody. Since then, the Michigan race has seen 41 different winners, with 23 of them being multiple race winners. Among them, Kevin Harvick leads the way with six wins at this venue, from 2010 to his final Michigan win in 2022.

RFK Racing has been the most successful outfit at Michigan, with eight wins across three decades. Their most recent win came in 2023. Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing follow with five wins each.

From a manufacturer's perspective, Ford dominates with 24 wins at the Michigan Cup race. Chevrolet follows with 11, while Dodge has had six wins at the venue. Other past winners include Mercury, Toyota, Plymouth, Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile.