Nearly a decade since a Dodge car last raced in NASCAR, the manufacture could be in line for a sensational return.
In 2012, Brad Keselowski with Team Penske won the Cup Series championship with Dodge. Unfortunately, after that season, NASCAR decided to remove Dodge as one of the manufactures.
Over the years, there has been much fanfare and desire from the fans to bring back Dodge to NASCAR but nothing has materialized until now. However, it seems to be changing as NASCAR President Steve Phelps confirmed the talks that are progressing to bring back Dodge to NASCAR.
“It’s been widely rumored that Dodge is one of those or closest [to joining NASCAR]. I won’t confirm or deny that…I would suggest things are progressing or I would say that things are progressing. When we have something to announce, we will.”
.@StevePhelps to @CandiceSpencer: "It's been widely rumored that Dodge is one of those or closest [to joining NASCAR]. I won't confirm or deny that….I would suggest things are progressing or I would say that things are progressing. When we have something to announce, we will." pic.twitter.com/zTOH61GkEI
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) November 9, 2021
The President also shed light on the OEMs trying to enter the NASAR industry and that if not for the pandemic, it would already be in NASCAR.
“We’ve made no bones about the fact that we want to have a new OEM in our sport. I think we got delayed with the pandemic. With that said, we are an attractive place, I believe, for OEMs to come into the sport. Now is an important opportunity for them to do that because of the Next Gen car”
“I also believe the fact that the sport is growing and has a relevance that it hasn’t had in decades is causing some real interest from other OEMs.”
NASCAR is going to see a major change with the introduction of the Next Gen car at the starting of the 2022 season. It remains to be seen whether the talks will progress as quickly to introduce Dodge in the 2023 NASCAR season.