{"id":205703,"date":"2025-09-06T19:08:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T19:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/205703\/"},"modified":"2025-09-06T19:08:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T19:08:17","slug":"rcr-to-dodge-nascar-rumors-heating-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/205703\/","title":{"rendered":"RCR To Dodge? NASCAR Rumors Heating Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NASCAR rumor mill is buzzing again, this time with whispers that Richard Childress Racing (RCR)<\/a> could be eyeing a partnership with Dodge if the brand makes its long-awaited return to the NASCAR Cup Series.<\/p>\n

With Ram set to return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026<\/a>, it\u2019s only natural that talk has shifted to Dodge\u2019s eventual Cup Series re-entry. Fans are already asking the big question: who will carry the Dodge banner at the sport\u2019s highest level?<\/p>\n

Kaulig Racing: The Clear Front-Runner \u2013\u00a0
\n\"\"Kaulig Racing joins Ram in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026. (Ram).<\/p>\n

Kaulig Racing, the team founded in 2016 by businessman Matt Kaulig<\/a>, has emerged as the leading candidate to serve as Dodge\u2019s factory team. The Ohio-based organization has rapidly grown into one of NASCAR\u2019s most competitive outfits, already fielding two full-time Cup cars and three in the Xfinity Series.<\/p>\n

By the numbers, Kaulig has been impressive. In just seven years, the team has racked up 29 wins across NASCAR\u2019s top three divisions. That track record, combined with Stellantis choosing Kaulig to launch Ram\u2019s Truck Series comeback<\/a> with up to five trucks at Daytona in February 2026, makes them the obvious starting point for a Dodge Cup program.<\/p>\n

Kaulig also has another key connection \u2014 its Cup cars run ECR engines, supplied by none other than Richard Childress Racing. And that\u2019s where the next piece of the puzzle comes in. It\u2019s also important to note that ECR also supplies engines to other Cup teams like Trackhouse Racing<\/a> and Beard Motorsports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Could RCR Pivot To Dodge? \u2013\u00a0
\n\"\"Kyle Busch in his No. 8 zone Chevrolet Camaro Cup Car. (RCR Facebook Page).<\/p>\n

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic<\/a> recently tackled the question in his reader mailbag, and he didn\u2019t dismiss the possibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still too early to definitely state which team(s) will join Kaulig in carrying the Dodge banner whenever it re-enters Cup, as there are several candidates, but Richard Childress Racing is an intriguing option \u2014 especially because of its engine program that could then supply engines to other Dodge-backed teams,\u201d Bianchi explained.<\/p>\n

But he also pointed out the biggest roadblock: loyalty.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether RCR would actually make the switch from Chevrolet to Dodge is another question. Since RCR first entered Cup back in the late 1960s, it has always fielded General Motors (GM)-branded cars (Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, or Pontiac). Severing these ties would be something team owner Richard Childress, who values loyalty, would not do without great hesitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Loyalty Dilemma \u2013\u00a0
\n\"\"Austin Dillon in his No. 3 Berztri Chevrolet Camaro Cup Car. (RCR Facebook Page).<\/p>\n

Richard Childress and Chevrolet go way back. From Dale Earnhardt\u2019s glory days in the No. 3 to today\u2019s operations with his grandson, Austin Dillon,<\/a> and future NASCAR Hall of Famer, Kyle Busch<\/a>, the bowtie has been part of the team\u2019s DNA for over five decades.<\/p>\n

Walking away from GM would be nothing short of shocking. But in NASCAR, opportunities to be a manufacturer\u2019s flagship team don\u2019t come around often.<\/p>\n

As Bianchi put it, \u201cThere are compelling reasons why RCR should consider a switch, if the option is there. Staying aligned with Chevrolet assures RCR will never rise above being Chevrolet\u2019s No. 2 team, with Hendrick Motorsports cemented in the top spot. A hypothetical jump by RCR to a different manufacturer, however, presents an opportunity to be the top dog. If RCR wants to win its first Cup title since 1994, Childress might have to cut his longstanding ties with Chevrolet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not The First Time Dodge And RCR Were Linked \u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time Richard Childress Racing has been tied to Dodge in the rumor mill. Back in January 2013<\/a>, just months after Dodge exited NASCAR following Brad Keselowski\u2019s championship season<\/a> with Penske Racing, there was speculation that RCR had been in talks with Dodge about a possible partnership. Nothing materialized at that time, but it showed that Dodge has kept RCR on its radar before \u2014 and now, with Stellantis re-entering the sport through Ram, those old whispers are being revived.<\/p>\n

Why The Dodge Return Matters \u2013\u00a0
\n\"\"Brad Keselowski celebrates his win in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger NASCAR Cup car. (Dodge).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a long 14 years since Dodge last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now, with Stellantis investing in Ram\u2019s return to the Truck Series, Dodge\u2019s Cup comeback looks more realistic than ever. If it happens, Dodge will need more than just Kaulig Racing to carry the torch. They\u2019ll need an established, championship-winning organization with resources, credibility, and an engine program. That description fits RCR to a tee.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next? \u2013\u00a0
\n\"\"Dodge Charger SIXPACK Next-Gen NASCAR Cup Design. (Turn 4 Graphics).<\/p>\n

For now, the idea remains just that \u2014 speculation. Richard Childress hasn\u2019t hinted at leaving Chevrolet, and GM still provides deep technical and financial support. But as NASCAR continues to evolve and manufacturers fight for top billing, the landscape can change quickly.<\/p>\n

One thing is certain: if Dodge does come back, the manufacturer won\u2019t be content with being a mid-pack player. They\u2019ll want to win, and they\u2019ll need partners capable of delivering results.<\/p>\n

Source: 5GOATS<\/a> and The Atlantic<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NASCAR rumor mill is buzzing again, this time with whispers that Richard Childress Racing (RCR) could be…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":205704,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[2605,22237,83569,6162,463,12440,28505,89037,57191,4424,73897,54200,22238,113238,1406,50,90726,44899,6534,6166,62,20145,3780,59802,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-205703","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nascar","8":"tag-athletic","9":"tag-austin-dillon","10":"tag-charger","11":"tag-chevrolet","12":"tag-cup","13":"tag-daytona","14":"tag-dodge","15":"tag-engines","16":"tag-gm","17":"tag-hendrick-motorsports","18":"tag-jordan-bianchi","19":"tag-kaulig-racing","20":"tag-kyle-busch","21":"tag-manufacturer","22":"tag-nascar","23":"tag-news","24":"tag-ram","25":"tag-richard-childress-racing","26":"tag-rumors","27":"tag-series","28":"tag-sports","29":"tag-stellantis","30":"tag-teams","31":"tag-trucks","32":"tag-united-states","33":"tag-unitedstates","34":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115158929324122761","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/205704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}