Rumors that a new manufacturer is looking to join NASCAR seem to have legitimate footing, as The Athletic reports Dodge is considering an entry to the NASCAR Truck Series.

This puts to bed rumors that Honda was gunning to become the fourth manufacturer. Instead, Dodge is thought to be pursuing a return after leaving the sport in 2016.

Dodge looks to join NASCAR Trucks

When people think of “NASCAR,” they generally imagine the sedan-style bodies featured in the Cup Series. In reality, NASCAR is merely an organizing body that hosts a variety of championships.

There are three national championships: Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks, which could be likened to Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3 when considering the European open-wheel ladder: The Truck Series is the first “big” stage on which aspiring stock car drivers will compete, all with an eye toward advancing to the top level of the sport.

It is into this lowest national tier that Dodge intends to enter, a new report from The Athletic states.

The automaker is reportedly looking to field a truck through its “Ram” brand and could be prepared to do so as early as 2026.

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This follows several weeks of speculation; rumors about a potential new manufacturer joining NASCAR have circled for weeks, with many fans and pundits throwing Dodge’s name into the ring alongside Honda.

Honda has long expressed that it has no desire to enter NASCAR so long as the cars are powered by V8 engines, but Dodge has no such qualms.

In 2025, three manufacturers are represented in the Truck Series — Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. Each manufacturer is tasked with building a race-ready interpretation of one of its production vehicles. For Chevrolet, that’s the Silverado; for Ford, it’s the F-150, and for Toyota, it’s the Tundra.

Per The Athletic, Dodge has already begun the process of seeking formal approval from NASCAR for a potential entry, while sources familiar with the matter expect the automaker to ultimately be granted the opportunity to race.

Dodge used to be a familiar face in the NASCAR world, running in the Truck Series between 1995 and 2016 before ultimately withdrawing due to high costs.

Recent rule changes designed to keep costs down mean that Dodge would be required to use a standardized Ilmor engine; its major developmental expense would come in the form of its bodywork.

NASCAR has been particularly keen to attract additional automakers  to its three national divisions as racing series around the world continue to attract key talent. Formula 1 will see the addition of Audi, Cadillac, and Ford in the near future, while endurance racing prototype fields are growing apace.

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