NASCAR has announced a fourth manufacturer for its Craftsman Truck Series. RAM is set to field four to five teams in the race at Daytona in 2026. Fans have reacted with excitement over the news and have also pondered over their inclusion in the Cup Series.

On Sunday, June 8, RAM (a Stellantis brand) announced their return to NASCAR in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026 after a 13-year absence. This will be the first time in four decades that the Truck Series will feature four manufacturers. Ram will field trucks starting at Daytona in February 2026 with plans to have four to six teams on the grid for the season opener.

The Ram 1500 concept race truck, inspired by the Warlock, Rebel and RHO models, was unveiled at the Michigan International Speedway. The truck’s body will undergo the NASCAR approval process along with wind tunnel testing, with the final approval to be done by mid-August. Bob Pockrass, veteran NASCAR journalist, shared the news on X.

“Ram to enter trucks in 2026. No teams/drivers announced. Hope to have four-to-six teams at Daytona in February. Intention is for Dodge or another Stellantis brand to Cup but when? TBD with 2027 still possible but that would be very aggressive timeline. @NASCARONFOX.”

To which the fans have responded with various team options for the manufacturing brand to partner with. One wrote in comments:

“Penske switch to Dodge coming?”

“Trackhouse will go with Dodge,” another fan predicted.

A fan was excited by the prospect of four to six teams joining Ram:

“Four to six teams at Daytona, you say? That’s going to be wild! And a Dodge Cup return eventually? Yes please!”, the fan penned.

Another fan called the move “great for the sport”:

“I think it would be awesome to see Dodge return to Cup and Xfinity. Having four manufacturers in each series would just be great for sport altogether,” another fan penned.

“Yeah ! Its about time!!! Now do it for the cup series! Its only right…” X user wrote.

Dodge’s return to the Cup Series is closely tied to NASCAR finalizing its next engine rules package.

YouTuber Cleetus McFarland in talks to drive in NASCAR Truck Series

Cleetus McFarland, a popular automotive YouTuber and recent ARCA Menards Series competitor, is rumored to be in talks to join the Craftsman Truck Series with Ram as early as 2026. According to a report by Sports Business Journal and shared by reporter Adam Stern, McFarland could be one of the drivers for Ram’s potential Truck Series program, though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

Ram, now a standalone brand under Stellantis, is preparing for a return to NASCAR, and McFarland’s large social media following—over 4.4 million YouTube subscribers—makes him an attractive candidate to help boost the brand’s visibility.

“YouTube star and ARCA driver Cleetus McFarland could get involved with the prospective new Craftsman Truck Series team from Stellantis’ @RamTrucks brand should the automaker complete talks to enter the sport,” Adam Stern wrote in X post.

McFarland, whose real name is Lawrence Garrett Mitchell, made his ARCA debut this year and has shown promise with top-10 finishes at Talladega and Charlotte after an early exit at Daytona.