Dale Earnhardt Jr. Exposes the Biggest Obstacle Ahead of Dodge Amidst NASCAR Cup interest

Dodge is all set to make their awaited return to the Craftsman Truck Series in the 2026 season. Kaulig Racing will become the anchor team as they will field five full-time RAM trucks in the coming season.

While the team is preparing for their return to the Truck Series, they are also interested in coming to the Cup Series as soon as possible. However, the Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., revealed the biggest obstacle that the giant will face in their attempt to field cars in the Cup Series.

In the Truck Series, Dodge will equip the default engine that most of the teams use in the series. The team will require a lot of time and research before they can take on the challenge of coming up with an OEM on track.

However, if the giant really wishes to join the Cup Series anytime soon, it will need their own NASCAR-approved Dodge engine package for the Next Gen cars. This wouldn’t be easy for the team, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighs in on the matter. Dale Earnhardt Jr. reckoned that the toughest part for Dodge and their potential entry to the Cup Series would be the engine.

The team’s engine from the 2012 season could not be used as it would need a complete makeover to pass the regulations of the Next Gen cars. Still, Dale Jr. guessed that Dodge could luck out, and the whole engine plan comes together for the team and works better than anticipated.

The one thing that’s probably going to be the toughest part for the Dodge guys will be the engine, Maybe that comes together, and that works better than I think.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Dale Jr. download

Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepted that he did not have much idea about the plans that Dodge had in motion, as they had yet to declare their interest in returning to the Cup Series.

Still, to bring their own power plan to NASCAR and ultimately the Cup Series will need a lot of convincing from the leaders of the sport. Dale Jr. insisted that the sport would have a good leash on Dodge and not let it come up and overpower everyone else on the track with their engines.

I have no knowledge of information. But I just know that to bring their power plan into the Cup Series and it do everyting it needs to do and perform the way it needs to perform, NASCAR is going to keep a very tight leash on all of that so that they can’t come in and overpower everybody.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. added

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals ‘too hard’ for Dodge to be competitive in Cup Series

The current engine programs of Chevy, Ford, and Toyota have used up decades of research and brainstorming in order to become competitive and better than their rivals on the track.