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Dodge left the NASCAR Cup Series on a high in 2012, with Team Penske and Brad Keselowski claiming the championship, but is it gone for good?
On the sidelines of this year's championship weekend in Phoenix, NASCAR president Steve Phelps addressed rumors that the brand may return.
Keselowski claimed his 2012 title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Corbis via Getty Images)
"You know what, there are some discussions that are going on with other OEMs [original equipment manufacturers], new OEMs, that would come into the sport," Phelps said during the state of the sport press conference.
"Our three existing OEMs are happy about that. Our race teams are happy about that. We’re happy about that. It’s been widely rumored that Dodge is one of those or closest. I won’t confirm or deny that."
Phelps said "things are progressing," but that the process was delayed by the pandemic.
"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."
Keselowski also won what is now called the Xfinity Series championship for Dodge and Penske in 2010. (Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
A Dodge spokesman told Fox News Autos the brand had no comment on what Phelps said, but it just this week launched a new business plan focused on highlighting its V8 engines and racing parts business.
If the brand were to return to the Cup Series, it would need to convince one of the top charter teams to switch its allegiance from Ford, Chevrolet or Toyota, in order to be competitive.
Ram Trucks competed in the Truck Series several years after sister brand Dodge left the Cup Series. (Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images)
Penske ran Dodge cars from 2003 to 2012, but is now one of Ford's top teams and won the championship for the brand in 2018 with Joey Logano.
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As far as when Dodge or another brand could join the series, it wouldn't be before the 2023 season, while the possible addition of new hybrid powertrains in 2024 offers another logical entry point, but Phelps didn't put a timeline on it.
"When we have something to announce, we will, Phelps said.
This story has been updated with Dodge's reaction to Phelps' comments