Tim Kuniskis was excited as he spoke to a group of journalists on the eve of the 2026 SEMA show. The head of all things performance for Stellantis North America built the tension by pacing back and forth in front of an SRT-branded Jeep Scrambler before he dropped the big news that he’s clearly been sitting on for some time: Dodge is returning to the NASCAR Cup Series.
📌 The Core Development
While Ram has been running five vehicles in the NASCAR Truck series since it returned last year, Kuniskis confirmed to Car and Driver that Dodge will start by fielding two entries in the top-flight series, which will be run by Kaulig Racing. Kuniskis also confirmed to C/D that, unsurprisingly, Dodge’s chosen weapon for the Cup series will be the Charger.
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🔍 Background & Sector Context
Kuniskis said that while everyone they’ve spoken to has told the company they’ll need a minimum of three years to develop their Cup car, the company doesn’t want to wait that long. Instead, Dodge is planning to return to the series from the onset of the 2027 season—where it’ll be forced to adapt and develop their car and program in real time.
Kuniskis also told us that Dodge is under no illusions that joining now is ill-advised. “I want to make it clear that we know we’re premature,” he said. “If we don’t do well, at least we’re learning.” Plus, it seems the brand has an Ace or two up its sleeve to put itself in the limelight. “There might be a couple other things that we’re working on that, no matter how we do, we’ll be a point of conversation in the competition,” Kuniskis added.
📊 Industry & Real-World Impact
John Probst, the president of NASCAR event management, was similarly unfazed by the prospect of Dodge making its return with so little development time. “I kind of like that they’re going to come in and figure it out as they go,” he told C/D . Unfortunately, given how quickly Dodge’s return is coming together, we’ll have to wait a bit longer for more details. Kuniskis assured us all the details he wouldn’t tell us this week will be revealed on December 4, including the car reveal and driver lineups.
Benchmark Telemetry & EV Fuel Savings
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🔮 Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver . His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
