Skip to main content

After a four-year absence, is it time for Dodge to return to NASCAR?

Dodge Charger NASCAR
Image used with permission by copyright holder
NASCAR is, if nothing else, the most American form of motor sport, but one of the Big Three United States automakers hasn’t been represented for several years. Dodge officially left NASCAR in 2012, leaving Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota to fight among themselves.

But Dodge may soon return to NASCAR, Sergio Marchionne, CEO of parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) said in a recent interview with Autoweek. Marchionne said he’d “love to” have Dodge back in NASCAR, and that he’d already talked to NASCAR executive vice president Jim France about it.

Recommended Videos

Marchionne was also the one who made the decision to pull Dodge out of NASCAR in the first place. That decision was made in 2009, as Fiat was taking the first steps to rebuild Chrysler after the U.S. firm’s bankruptcy. Marchionne said that, at the time, FCA couldn’t justify Dodge’s participation “when I was trying to pay bills and make payroll.” When Dodge officially left NASCAR in 2012, only one team (Penske Racing) was still running its cars.

For most automakers, racing is primarily a marketing exercise. NASCAR presents an interesting dilemma because, on the one hand, its popularity raises the profile of participating automakers, but the cars also have virtually nothing in common with their road-going counterparts. Dodge does have an impressive NASCAR legacy, with decades of participation and many race wins. That may be weighing on Marchionne, although he did not say when Dodge would rejoin NASCAR.

Dodge is touted by FCA as a performance brand, and it isn’t very involved in racing at the moment. After it left NASCAR, the automaker pulled the plug on a racing program for the Viper sports car, and then discontinued the Viper itself. Dodge’s biggest current racing commitment is to NHRA drag racing.

While Dodge does not officially participate in NASCAR, some Dodge-branded cars do race in the series. Race cars badged as Dodge Challengers compete in the second-tire Xfinity Series, racing against Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Toyota Camry-badged cars. NASCAR’s top series is the Sprint Cup, which features the Camry, Ford Fusion, and Chevrolet SS, and there is a NASCAR series for trucks as well.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Trump administration prepares to end Biden’s EV tax incentive, report says
president biden drives 2022 ford f 150 lightning electric pickup truck prototype visits rouge vehicle center

If you’re looking to buy or lease an electric vehicle (EV) and benefit from the Biden administration’s $7,500 tax incentive, you’d better act soon.

The transition team of the incoming Trump administration is already planning to end the credit, according to a report from Reuters citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Read more
Kia EV4: everything we know so far
Kia EV4 Front

Kia is continuing to expand its electric car lineup. The EV6 and EV9 have both been out for some time now, and the company is in the middle of rolling out the EV3 in Europe, with a North American release expected next year. After that, it's likely the company will turn to the EV5. But what about after that? Well, that could be where the Kia EV4 comes in.

Kia announced a concept version of the EV4 at its EV Day in 2023, showing off a futuristic-looking hatchback that's seemingly a little smaller than the EV6, but keeps many design elements. Since then, Kia has confirmed very few details about it, though we have seen it shown off at other automotive events. Here's everything we know about the Kia EV4 so far.
Kia EV4 design
The Kia EV4, or at least the concept version of it, is smaller than the EV6, and much smaller than the EV9. It's actually closer in size to a sedan than anything else, though with its open trunk, it could be considered a hatchback. Regardless, it certainly blurs the line between the two. So much so, that in recent months we've actually seen a full hatchback version of the EV4 being tested -- and it's possible that Kia is pivoting the design of the EV4 entirely to be a hatch, or will be releasing both hatchback and sedan versions.

Read more
Hertz is selling used Teslas for under $20K, Chevrolet Bolt EVs under $14K
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently nixed hopes of a regular Tesla model ever selling for $25,000.

But he was talking about new models. For car rental company Hertz, the race to sell used Teslas and other EVs at ever-lower prices is not only still on but accelerating.

Read more