Luke Ramseth -The Detroit News
Auburn Hills — Ram will compete in NASCAR’s truck racing circuit in 2026, returning after a 13-year hiatus, CEO Tim Kuniskis said.
The return to NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series is part of a larger push by Kuniskis to juice pickup sales after a dismal stretch for the Stellantis NV brand that saw it lose ground to key competitors. In recent days the CEO also said the roaring 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 would soon return to its Ram 1500 lineup after it was dropped for the 2025 model year — and he has promised more announcements to come.
“When we say we’re back, when we say nothing stops Ram, and we bring the Hemi back, when we bring some of the other stuff that we haven’t shown you under those car covers, it makes perfect sense to be back in this space (of NASCAR),” Kuniskis said during a media event at the automaker’s North American headquarters. Ram departed the truck series in 2012 after a 17-year run.
Kuniskis said the racing comeback plan is still in the early stages and Ram doesn’t yet have a team to work with. But the brand has been quietly developing an aerodynamic Ram 1500 race truck with design elements drawn from its sport pickup line.
He acknowledged it’s a big cost and difficult to justify from a return-on-investment perspective. But there are about 20 million NASCAR fans and about half of them drive pickups, Kuniskis said, creating an ideal environment to attract customers. Ram plans to bring something of a party to the races, he said, with a pop-up lounge offering music, drinks and a mechanical bull.
“There will be more details on our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program later this year,” the CEO said in a statement. “We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance.”
lramseth@detroitnews.com
