Denny Hamlin questioned whether Dodge’s push back into the Cup Series is more marketing than competition, and he said Kaulig Racing still does not have the simulation and engine support needed for a real manufacturer return. He made the remarks during an interview on Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2026.
Hamlin said, "They [Kaulig] are struggling around 15th in Trucks. I know they wanna get in there, I don’t know how much of that is like just a marketing play versus like, you really really truly wanna compete," and later added, "You still got to get your simulation…I hear you Corey LaJoie and many others. You don’t have the simulation but others have,"
Kaulig And Dodge
The comments landed as talk around Dodge’s return picked up after Jordan Bianchi reported that the brand could potentially return to the Cup Series in 2027. John Newby then pointed to Tim Kuniskis’s June 2025 words that Dodge planned to enter the Cup Series from the 2027 Daytona 500.
Kaulig Racing has already partnered with RAM in Trucks this season, which puts Hamlin’s critique in direct view. He said Dodge and RAM do not yet have the NASCAR-specific ecosystem that other manufacturers already use.
Hamlin’s Engine Question
Hamlin also turned to the part of the plan that usually decides how quickly a new manufacturer can settle in. He said an engine program would require a significant investment and asked, "Again, that’s a significant investment. Are they gonna do it themselves? Or are they gonna outsource that?"
He framed the broader upside plainly: "The more manufacturers you have, the better it is for the sport," but the practical hurdle remains the same. Dodge has been out of NASCAR since Team Penske switched to Ford in March 2012, and a return would bring four manufacturers back after 14 years.
Dodge’s 2027 Path
The pressure point is not the headline date. It is whether Dodge can build the car, engine, and simulation base fast enough to move from discussion to competition, because the accelerated timeline has already surprised people in the garage. If the brand wants the 2027 Daytona 500 entry it has talked about, the next step is not another tease; it is deciding whether the program gets built in-house or handed off.
