Kaulig Racing retains Allmendinger and Dillon for 2027

AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon will drive for Dodge in the manufacturer’s return to the NASCAR Cup Series next season.

Kaulig Racing confirmed the expected two-car line-up Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Dodge announced earlier in the week that it would return to the Cup Series in 202. It will be their first time fielding entries in the series since 2012.

“We just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kaulig Racing, and I have never been more confident and excited about our future,” said Matt Kaulig, founder and owner of Kaulig Racing. “This is a landmark moment for our organization, our partners, and the Dodge brand. From our humble beginnings to being named the anchor team for the fifth-largest automaker in the world is an incredible honor and a challenge our team is ready to face.”

Allmendinger, 44, has made over 500 starts in the Cup Series since 2007, and has driven for Kaulig Racing since 2019 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series. He will go into his third season at the Cup Series level with them in 2027.

Kaulig Racing’s first Cup Series win came courtesy of Allmendinger on the Indianapolis road course in 2021. Allmendinger won their second race on the Charlotte road course in 2023.

“Kaulig Racing has been my home for years, and the belief Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have placed in me means everything,” Allmendinger said. “To be chosen to help bring Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is special for me. I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to drive a lot of different race cars, but being on the front lines of building a new OEM program with a brand as iconic as Dodge is a unique challenge. We’re building something special here, and I can’t wait to get to work in 2027.”

Dillon will go into his 10th full season as a Cup Series driver next year. It will be his third driving for Kaulig Racing.

“Opportunities like this don’t come around often in a driver’s career,“ Dillon said. “To extend my time with Kaulig Racing and be part of Dodge’s return to the Cup Series is a dream scenario. Matt and Chris have built a world-class culture here, and the commitment everyone is putting into this transition is unmatched. Dodge has a rich winning history in stock car racing, and our entire organization is focused on honoring that heritage when we hit the track in 2027.”

Dodge will reveal its car during the Snowball Derby on Dec. 4.

“Bringing Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is a massive responsibility and one we don’t take lightly,” said Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice. “We knew we needed to put proven veterans behind the wheel to build this program, and no one knows Kaulig Racing better than AJ and Ty. We are introducing a lot of new parts, pieces, and variables into our program, so being able to keep some consistency behind the wheel was important for our inaugural season with Dodge. I look at 2027 like we are pouring the foundation for our future.”