History of Dodge in the NASCAR Cup Series
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Todd Warshaw | Getty Images
What's old is new again. For the first time since 2012, Dodge is back in the NASCAR Cup Series! Dodge will join forces with Kaulig Racing beginning in 2027, marking the entrance of a fourth OEM in the premier series.
The manufacturer has a long history in stock-car racing, from the OEM's first triumph in 1953 spanning to Brad Keselowski's championship before pausing Cup competition until now. Take a look at some of Dodge's key moments at NASCAR's highest level.
RELATED: Dodge returns to Cup Series in 2027 with Kaulig Racing | Dodge can build upon its history
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
Feb. 1, 1953
Lee Petty scored Dodge's first NASCAR Cup Series victory, coming at Palm Beach Speedway. He led 152 of 200 laps around the 0.5-mile dirt track and won by two circuits.
Petty won the Cup Series championship a year later, but that was formally credited to Chrysler -- not Dodge.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
1966
Dodge's first official NASCAR Cup Series title came in 1966 with Hall of Famer David Pearson, who won a whopping 15 races.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
March 24, 1970
Driving a Dodge, Buddy Baker turned the first NASCAR lap at over 200 mph, laying down a 200.447 mph heater at Talladega Superspeedway in a milestone moment for the sport.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
1970
Bobby Isaac earned Dodge's second championship, driving Nord Kraufkopf-owned and Harry Hyde-built chassis to 10 short-track victories.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
1974 and 1975
NASCAR royalty, Richard Petty, won titles under the Dodge banner, the fifth and sixth of his career, respectively.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
May 25, 1975
Who knew Dale Earnhardt drove a Dodge? "The Intimidator" made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway while representing the manufacturer.
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NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
1978
Amid struggles, Richard Petty decided to pivot from Dodge to Chevrolet in the middle of the 1978 season -- the last time the NASCAR Cup Series saw the OEM for quite some time.
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Jon Ferrey | Allsport
Oct. 14, 1999
Dodge announced a return to the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2001, coinciding with a new, landmark media rights deal.
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Jamie Squire | Allsport
Feb. 10, 2001
Ray Evernham left crew-chiefing duties with Jeff Gordon to launch Evernham Motorsports -- a cornerstone Dodge team. In its first race, the 2001 Daytona 500, it won the pole with fan favorite and Hall of Famer Bill Elliott.
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Jon Ferrey | Getty Images
Feb. 17, 2002
Ward Burton soared to a victory in the "Great American Race" for Bill Davis Racing, marking the first major achievement for Dodge in modern-era NASCAR Cup Series racing.
WATCH: 2002 Daytona 500
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Craig Jones | Getty Images
Oct. 13, 2002
Motorsports powerhouse Team Penske announced that it was switching from Ford to Dodge, beginning in the 2003 season.
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Robert Laberge | Getty Images
Feb. 17, 2008
The "Rocket Man," Ryan Newman, scored a thrilling Daytona 500 victory for Team Penske -- the organization's first triumph in the "Great American Race."
WATCH: 2008 Daytona 500
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Sept. 30, 2012
Rising NASCAR Cup Series star Brad Keselowski won a key Chase race at Dover Motor Speedway -- the ninth victory of his career. This is the most recent Dodge victory at the Cup level.
WATCH: 2012 AAA 400
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Tom Pennington | Getty Images
Nov. 18, 2012
With Dodge exiting the sport after the 2012 season, Brad Keselowski sent it out on a high note -- winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Nearly 15 years later, Dodge is back -- this time with Kaulig Racing, where the next chapter of manufacturer's auto racing history is set to be written.
WATCH: 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400