NASCAR Confirms Talks With New Automakers Following RAM Trucks Announcement
Following the announcement of RAM Trucks' entry into NASCAR in 2026, John Probst, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer, has confirmed that the sport is in discussions with three other manufacturers for a NASCAR entry in the future.
RAM separated from Dodge in 2010, and before that, the brand had celebrated three manufacturer championships in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2001, 2003, and 2004. The team last raced in 2013.
There has been no new OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in NASCAR since Toyota introduced the Tundra in 2004. Probst shared that, for an OEM, to participate in NASCAR was a "good investment" and revealed that Cup Series newcomers would be allowed to follow an 18-month schedule to prepare and develop their team and cars to race.
A general view of the Ram announcement that its brand will return to NASCAR competition, scheduling a Craftsman Truck Series campaign beginning in 2026 on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino...
A general view of the Ram announcement that its brand will return to NASCAR competition, scheduling a Craftsman Truck Series campaign beginning in 2026 on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 08, 2025 in Brooklyn, Michigan. MoreOpening up on the ongoing discussion with other automakers during the announcement of RAM's NASCAR entry, Probst said:
"I don't want to jinx ourselves, but I would say that we are very close with one other. Can't speak for them. Obviously, it's their decision to make. We would love for them to decide to come into NASCAR, and even with that, there's one or two others that we're a little bit earlier in the discussions, but also looking pretty positive.
"But we all know that an OEM deciding to come into NASCAR, it's a big commitment for them. It's not something that they take lightly. It requires a lot of research and approval at the highest levels. We're confident right now. We like the position we're in, and think that we're a pretty good investment for an OEM."
Could Honda be one of the automakers NASCAR has been in talks with? A report by Sports Business Journal, which anticipated the arrival of RAM Trucks, stated that "Honda is also said to be eyeing a potential entry into NASCAR, though the timing of that is less clear."
The entry of RAM would likely encourage manufacturers to consider a NASCAR entry, and push forward those that are already in talks. RAM Trucks CEO Tim Kuniskis confirmed that his team will be all set to race next year at Daytona. He said:
"We'll be on track in Daytona in eight months, and the way we're going to do it is unlike anyone else."
Kuniskis hinted that RAM's ultimate goal was to race in the Cup Series. He added:
"We're looking for a date to the prom right now. So how am I going to get to Cup? That's going to depend on how I get to Truck. So however we get to Truck is going to obviously weigh heavily on 'do I have a path to Cup?' Our intention is not to do a one-hit wonder and go to Truck and not to Cup. That's not our plan."
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