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Does Dodge have race cars?

Yes. Today Dodge maintains active race cars mainly in NHRA drag racing, while its broader motorsport history includes NASCAR and endurance racing. There is no official factory Dodge entry in the NASCAR Cup Series as of 2025.

The question taps into Dodge’s long-running relationship with racing—from factory-backed efforts in stock car racing to high-profile drag racing programs. This article outlines where Dodge is active on track today, recalls its historical racing footprint, and explains what fans might expect going forward.

Current Dodge racing programs

Below is a snapshot of the main active Dodge racing efforts that carry the brand’s name or Mopar performance legacy on the track today.

NHRA drag racing — Mopar/Direct Connection Dodge Challenger Drag Pak and Dodge Charger Drag Pak compete in Stock/Super Stock classes, supported by Mopar-backed teams and a dealer network that keeps the program competitive on the drag strip.

Grassroots and customer racing support — The Direct Connection program provides engines, parts, and technical support to customers fielding Dodge-powered machines in drag racing and other sanctioned events, enabling competition outside of a full factory team.

Endurance and sports-car history (context) — While Dodge’s modern factory efforts in top-level endurance or GT racing are not active today, the brand’s Viper era left a lasting imprint in IMSA and related series; Mopar’s broader involvement continues through performance parts and legacy racing programs.

In short, Dodge’s current on-track presence centers on drag racing through Mopar/Direct Connection and on supporting private teams with Dodge performance parts; there is not an official factory Cup Series program as of 2025.

Historical context

NASCAR legacy

Dodge’s involvement in NASCAR Cup Series dates back decades, with Plymouth and Dodge factory teams competing at the sport’s highest level. The most recent, sustained period of factory support ended after the 2013 season when Mopar stopped backing a full-time Cup effort. Since then, Dodge-branded cars have appeared mainly through privateer arrangements rather than a factory-backed program, and no public plans for a new official Dodge Cup team have been announced through 2025.

IMSA and sports cars

In endurance and sports-car racing, Dodge’s most prominent modern effort was the Viper GTS-R program in IMSA WeatherTech/related series, which ran through the mid-2010s before being retired. The Viper program left a notable legacy in GT and prototype racing, even as factory commitments shifted away from Dodge in recent years. Mopar remains associated with performance parts and historical racing storytelling rather than a current factory GT/DSR effort.

What to expect going forward

Going forward, Dodge’s motorsports footprint appears to be anchored in consumer-focused performance and drag racing. The Direct Connection program and Mopar-backed drag racing vehicles suggest a continued emphasis on 1/4-mile competition and grassroots to semi-professional levels. Any formal return to a full factory Cup Series effort would require strategic decisions by Stellantis and its racing arms, and as of now there are no public announcements of such a plan. Fans should monitor Mopar’s drag-racing presence and any team partnerships that keep Dodge-branded cars racing on the track.

Summary

Dodge remains an active racing brand, with current emphasis on NHRA drag racing through Mopar-backed Drag Pak cars and ongoing parts-driven support for private racing teams. The brand’s historic footprint in NASCAR and endurance racing continues to be a touchstone for fans, even though there is no official factory Cup Series entry as of 2025. Dodge’s racing identity today is best understood through its drag racing program, performance parts ecosystem, and legacy in road and endurance racing.

Does Dodge have any race cars?

THE ACTION IS HERE - WE CALL IT HUSTLE STUFF. The first ever Charger Drag Pak - The 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection - is a limited production race car engineered for grassroots drag racers competing in the sanctioned NHRA sportsman classes.

Does Dodge own SRT?

No, Dodge does not own SRT; instead, the two are closely associated, with SRT (Street and Racing Technology) being a performance division that has created models for various brands within the same parent company, Stellantis. While Dodge now uses the "SRT" designation for its own high-performance vehicles, such as the Challenger SRT and Durango SRT, SRT originally produced performance-tuned vehicles for other Chrysler-owned brands like Jeep and Chrysler.

Dodge's use of SRT: Dodge uses the SRT name to identify its most powerful and performance-focused vehicles, like the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Dodge Durango SRT.
SRT's origin: The division was originally created by Chrysler to enhance performance vehicles across its brands.
Parent company: SRT was created under the former FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) umbrella, which is now Stellantis.

Why is Dodge not in NASCAR racing?

Dodge left because of declining team interest. Interest declined due to the level of factory support an economically-troubled, #3-domestically manufacturer could no longer justify spending on a sport whose popularity was also declining.

Why did Dodge get banned from NASCAR?

Dodge left NASCAR primarily due to a combination of financial pressures and strategic realignment within the company after the 2008 financial crisis. Specifically, they couldn't find a top-tier team to partner with after Team Penske switched to Ford, which made a competitive program difficult to sustain financially.
This video explains the rise and fall of Dodge's NASCAR return: 56sJettMDKYouTube · Sep 30, 2024
Key factors for their departure

Loss of a key partner: The most immediate cause was Team Penske leaving and switching to Ford after the 2012 season. Penske was a major pillar of their program, and Dodge was unable to secure another top-tier team to replace them, according to Facebook, The Florida Times-Union, and Racecar Engineering.
Financial strain: The company faced financial pressures, especially following Chrysler's bankruptcy in 2009, which made a large-scale, capital-intensive NASCAR program difficult to justify financially.
Strategic shift: The company underwent a strategic shift, prioritizing other ventures and reallocating resources. This meant a reevaluation of the return on investment (ROI) for its NASCAR program.
Intense competition: The rising costs and increasing competitiveness of NASCAR made it challenging to maintain a winning program without a top-tier, committed partner.

This video explains why the Dodge Charger was banned from NASCAR: 38s4 Wheels ChroniclesYouTube · Sep 23, 2023

Kevin Bennett

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Kevin Bennet is the founder and owner of Kevin's Autos, a leading automotive service provider in Australia. With a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and years of industry expertise, Kevin uses his blog to answer the most common questions posed by his customers. From maintenance tips to troubleshooting advice, Kevin's articles are designed to empower drivers with the knowledge they need to keep their vehicles running smoothly and safely.