When the new employee hogs the boss’s attention, things may not be so pleasant. As Ram prepares for its grand return to NASCAR in 2026, excitement is building. However, so is the disappointment about one aspect of Ram’s arrival: the new OEM rule. Constituting a kind of free ticket to the first three races of the Craftsman Truck Series, this rule elicited a frustrated reaction from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Yet despite the legend’s disapproval, NASCAR boldly owned it.
NASCAR shrugs at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wishes
“Believe this was a NASCAR program. To be perfectly candid, I’m not a 100% sure on what came first, chicken or egg there, whether Ram came to us. But my understanding was this was something that we wanted to put in place to sort of act as a safety net for a new OEM. Not Ram specifically, but anyone moving forward,” NASCAR managing director of communicationsMike Forde said during the second season debut of the “Hauler Talk” podcast.
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Ram is part of Stellantis, which also owns Dodge. The last time Dodge participated in a NASCAR race was in 2012. Since Truck Series races are limited to 36 trucks, NASCAR has instituted a new OEM rule. It guarantees up to four additional starting positions for Ram for the first three races of the season, in the event of failing a qualifying event. This means there could be up to 40 trucks in the first three races of the year. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not happy about this.
“If I were a new OEM I would reject this provision and demand to earn my spot,” the veteran wrote on X. The change effectively means that if any of Kaulig Racing’s four trucks fail to qualify, they are still locked into the race. Besides Dale Earnhardt Jr., actor-turned-racer Frankie Muniz also voiced his disapproval. “So pathetic,” the driver of the Reaume Brothers Racing Ford said.
The rule resembles the Open Exemption Provisional instituted in 2025, and that had also attracted backlash. Four-time IndyCar champion Helio Castroneves got into the Daytona 500 even after failing to qualify. Now, as Ram seeks to utilize NASCAR’s extra help, a wave of discontent is ruling the crowd. Nevertheless, the top brass is not bothered, as the plan is to extend this rule to the Cup Series as well.
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“If Dodge shows a return to the Cup Series, I won’t be surprised if we see something like this again when that happens,” Forde continued. “So I think this was some learnings from 2007 and even earlier. Like I said, to track new OEMs and make their entry into the sport a little bit smoother.”
And preparations to scale up from Trucks are already underway with a star on board.
Wooing the cream of the sport
Ram announced its NASCAR arrival in June 2025. And clearly, the ambitious quotient of the OEM has been unmatched with its exciting announcements. For instance, Kaulig Racing’s 5th Ram Truck seat will go to the winner of a reality-show competition. While this will throw the spotlight on several upcoming drivers, one person will stand out. That is none other than four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart.
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The 54-year-old racer, who presently competes full-time in the NHRA, will compete in the season-opening truck race at Daytona International Speedway. He will wheel the No. 25 Ram Truck, marking his first race in NASCAR since 2016. One reason for choosing Stewart was his 19 wins across a variety of series in Daytona. Another reason pertains to Ram’s greater plans.
Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis hopes he can bring back Dodge to the Cup Series in 2027-28. “We’re not just returning to the track; we’re rewriting the playbook,” Kuniskis said. “Bringing Tony in as the first ‘free agent’ will generate a crazy amount of excitement. Which is exactly why we created the program — allowing fans to watch an all-time favorite driver get back into the seat. But this time, it’s a Ram truck.”
With a comprehensive plan ahead, Ram is a packing a lot of heat. Let’s see how the OEM performs as its seat is assured in the first three races of 2026.
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