After a 14-year absence from NASCAR’s premier series, Dodge is returning to the Cup Series in 2027. The announcement, made by Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands and SRT Performance for Stellantis North America, came during a preview of the company’s display at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas earlier this week.
Kaulig Racing, the manufacturer’s anchor team, has now confirmed its driver lineup for the flagship Cup program. AJ Allmendinger will return to the No. 16 and Ty Dillon will continue in the No. 10. The veteran pairing is intended to provide continuity as Dodge launches a new chapter and Kaulig begins a multiyear building phase with the brand.
“We just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kaulig Racing, and I have never been more confident and excited about our future,” said Matt Kaulig, founder and owner of Kaulig Racing. “This is a landmark moment for our organization, our partners and the Dodge brand. From our humble beginnings to being named the anchor team for the fifth largest automaker in the world is an incredible honor and a challenge our team is ready to face.”
Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice emphasized the value of experience in the transition. “Bringing Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is a massive responsibility, and one we don’t take lightly,” Rice said. “We knew we needed to put proven veterans behind the wheel to build this program, and no one knows Kaulig Racing better than AJ and Ty. We are introducing a lot of new parts, pieces and variables into our program, so being able to keep some consistency behind the wheel was important for our inaugural season with Dodge. I look at 2027 like we are pouring the foundation for our future.”
Allmendinger, 44, has been the cornerstone of Kaulig’s Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series efforts since joining the team in 2019. The Los Gatos, California, native has scored multiple Cup victories, including emotional wins for Kaulig at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in 2021 and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in 2023. He also brings wins from IndyCar and IMSA.
“Kaulig Racing has been my home for years, and the belief Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have placed in me means everything,” Allmendinger said. “To be chosen to help bring Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is special for me. I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to drive a lot of different race cars, but being on the front lines of building a new OEM program with a brand as iconic as Dodge is a unique challenge. We’re building something special here, and I can’t wait to get to work in 2027.”
Dillon, 34, of Lewisville, North Carolina, has more than 300 Cup Series starts and is a former ARCA Menards Series champion with additional wins in the Craftsman Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He is widely regarded as a steady veteran and strong setup communicator.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around often in a driver’s career,” Dillon said. “To extend my time with Kaulig Racing and be part of Dodge’s return to the Cup Series is a dream scenario. Matt and Chris have built a world-class culture here, and the commitment everyone is putting into this transition is unmatched. Dodge has a rich winning history in stock car racing, and our entire organization is focused on honoring that heritage when we hit the track in 2027.”
Dodge’s Cup history includes a first victory in 1953, multiple championships in the 1970s with Richard Petty, groundbreaking aerodynamic work with the Charger Daytona, and a high-profile return from 2001 to 2012 that produced more than 50 wins and a final championship with Brad Keselowski and Team Penske. The manufacturer last competed in Cup in 2012 before departing the series.
The specific body style—widely expected to be a Charger—will be revealed on December 4 at the 59th annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The unveiling will air via livestream on FloRacing and the NASCAR Channel. That same night, Dodge will stage The Dodge Sno-Brawl, a head-to-head celebrity competition in identically prepared Charger late-model stock cars.
Kaulig Racing, founded in 2016 in Welcome, North Carolina, began as a single-car O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team and has since recorded 27 victories and two regular-season championships at that level. It expanded full-time into Cup in 2022, earning two victories and playoff appearances. In 2026, the organization fielded five Ram trucks in the Craftsman Truck Series as part of Stellantis’ broader return to NASCAR.
The 2027 Cup program is being accelerated well beyond the conventional 18-month body-approval timeline. Dodge’s body has already cleared wind-tunnel testing, with production panels expected imminently. Engines are not anticipated to be a proprietary Stellantis/Mopar package in the initial seasons; reporting indicates the cars will use powerplants built by Earnhardt Childress Racing Engines (ECR). NASCAR has indicated current engine regulations will remain in place at least through 2028.
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell welcomed the return earlier this week, calling it a significant milestone that reflects Dodge’s belief in the sport. The program is scheduled to make its on-track debut during Speedweeks at Daytona in February 2027, restoring a four-manufacturer grid alongside Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota for the first time in more than a decade.
