What’s Happening?

Lost in the shuffle of a rain-delayed Daytona 500 was a report that Dodge is making plans to return to NASCAR as soon as 2026. This would be through their Ram brand, a former longtime staple of the Craftsman Truck Series. So, which current Truck Series team is the best fit for a switch to this returning make?

• Chris Knight of Catchfence initially reported that Dodge and Ram were returning to the sport. Knight claims that a new manufacturer, believed to be Ram, is “aiming to join” the series next season.
• Ram had a prominent run during the early days of the Truck Series, including Bobby Hamilton’s four-win championship season in 2004. Dodge itself withdrew from the sport after the 2012 season. However, the Truck and Xfinity Series teams continued to use their body styles for several seasons.
• As of right now, no NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams are confirmed nor rumored to be on the move; however, these are merely candidates that could make a jump given their status in the series.

What Would These Teams Be Looking For?

NASCAR teams, at any level, switch manufacturers for a number of reasons. These teams could seek better engines, support, or even prospects racing under that OEM’s banner.

While the Truck Series utilizes a spec Ilmor engine, switching manufacturers can still impact a team. For example, when Kyle Busch Motorsports switched from Toyota to Chevrolet in 2023, the trucks remained mostly the same. However, Toyota talent Corey Heim found himself racing for Toyota’s new top team, TRICON Garage.

Dodge and RAM will not have any set prospects when and if they officially re-enter the sport; however, for some teams trying to grow their brand or even stand out, the support that a switch to RAM could alter their trajectory.

Who Are the Unlikely Candidates?

First, we need to eliminate those that would be flat-out unlikely to make such a change. This includes established programs, those with developmental ties, and those tied to OEMs through other series.

For example, TRICON Garage has ties to Toyota’s developmental ladder, as it currently fields four full-time rides for the brand’s prospects. Losing top drivers could be detrimental to a team making a switch.

Spire Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports both have ties to their OEMs through their Cup Series programs. Due to their Cup Series program needs, these teams would not be likely to make such a change.

Other teams, while not tied to OEMs through either developmental or other series, such as Niece Motorsports, have longtime ties to their OEM, suggesting they could stay in place.

Reaume Brother Racing

Since the late 2010s, Reaume Brother Racing has grown from a single-truck team floating OEMs into a stable three-car organization. Though they currently enter Fords, they have a history of switching brands. For example, in 2022, the team switched from Chevrolet to Toyota, almost race to race.

While joining RAM would not make a major difference for the team, joining a new OEM would provide the team with notoriety as a staple team of RAM’s new era in NASCAR.

However, this season, the brand and Ford took another step in their relationship with RBR signing actor-turned-driver Frankie Muniz to race full-time for the team. Muniz, who has a deep relationship with Ford, may not be a top prospect in NASCAR, yet he brings necessary attention and sponsorship to the team.

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Thorsport Racing

When thinking of a team known for changing manufacturers in the Truck Series, Thorsport Racing stands out as a prime example. Since 2011, Duke Thorson’s team has switched from Chevrolet to Toyota, to Ford, back to Toyota, and ultimately back to Ford.

The team last made the switch in 2023, and while the spec Ilmor engines make these switches easier, their history of jumping OEMs led to some fans joking that Thorsport was a top candidate for Ram.

Though these are jokes, the team does not currently have any true ties to Ford’s developmental ladder as they enter three full-time veteran drivers. If RAM makes a return to NASCAR, it would be hard to write-off Thorsport as a candidate to make the switch.

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing is quickly rising through the ranks of the Truck Series. After a slow start, MHR is now one of the most consistent teams week in and week out. After a breakout 2023 season, the team, alongside Chevrolet prospect Christian Eckes, is coming off a dominant 2024 season in the Truck Series.

The team has mostly entered Chevrolets throughout its Truck Series tenures but entered Toyotas from 2018 to 2021. Notably, they have entered Dodge RAMs in the past, specifically twice in 2001 with driver Brendan Gaughan.

RAM would benefit more from a switch than MHR. The team is established as a top dog in the series, yet it is far from the top of a crowded Chevrolet entry list. While a switch would pose an interesting future for the team, the growth the team had with Chevrolet and drivers like Eckes and Daniel Dye should not be overlooked.

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