For most of NASCAR’s history, the manufacturer battle has been a three-way fight between Chevrolet, Ford, and whoever else had the nerve to show up. Toyota made that leap in 2007 and has never looked back. Now that a long-gone team is all set to make a return, the NASCAR car field could get significantly more crowded.

John Probst, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President, upon the confirmation of RAM’s return, indicated that the conversations around new manufacturers are not just wishful thinking anymore. “There’s a lot of energy in that same direction toward a Cup entry, hopefully very soon,” he said. “There are some other names that we have been chasing that have come back and are gaining energy again.”

He then added something that raised eyebrows. “We have, as recently as about two hours ago, had what was a lead come in on a new OEM out of the blue, almost. So we are excited for that one.”

He did not name anyone. But the rumor mill has been running for a while, and a few names keep coming up. Honda is the most talked-about candidate, as per reports. The manufacturer’s IndyCar deal expires after 2026, which makes the timing interesting. IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who races for Chip Ganassi Racing, a Honda-powered team, has openly said he would be interested in trying NASCAR someday.

“Maybe someday, hopefully we can find out,” he said, though he was honest about the challenge. “I think I would struggle a lot. Like, I think the way the cars are, how they handle, how they race — I think I would struggle.”

Dodge, meanwhile, has been the most vocal about its intentions. RAM is already back in the Truck Series with Kaulig Racing in 2026, and Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis has not been shy about where he wants to go next.

“Our goal would be to get into Cup, Daytona next year,” he said, acknowledging that practically everyone he has spoken to has told him that timeline is impossible. “I don’t know. I’m not giving up yet.”

Dodge last competed in the Cup Series in 2012, when Brad Keselowski won the championship with them. That remains their most recent Cup win, with 217 total victories in the series all-time.

BMW has also been mentioned in conversations around potential future entries, especially if the NASCAR car moves toward hybrid or electric components down the line.

The interest from outside manufacturers makes sense when you look at what NASCAR has built. The sport has 2,830 Cup Series races in the record books. Chevrolet leads all-time with 882 wins. Ford sits at 749. Toyota, despite only entering in 2007, already has 210. For any manufacturer looking to build a racing identity, that history is hard to ignore. And it’s been the best manufacturer this season too, so far.

Toyota leads the charge in NASCAR cars while Chevrolet and Ford are left chasing 

Any new manufacturer walking into the NASCAR car scene in 2026 would be entering during one of Toyota’s strongest runs in recent memory. The brand has won 7 of the first 9 Cup races this season, accounting for nearly 78 percent of all wins so far. Tyler Reddick alone has five race wins, including the Daytona 500, and became the first driver in history to win the opening three races of a season.

In Kansas, Toyota placed four cars in the top five. Their drivers led 188 of 274 laps. Three of their drivers sit in the top five in points, with five in the top 10.

Chevrolet and Ford are still in search of where they went wrong. Chevy’s only win this season came from Chase Elliott at Martinsville. Kyle Larson, their best hope, is still winless and sits 143 points behind Reddick. Ford’s sole win was at the hands of Ryan Blaney at Phoenix, and the manufacturer has struggled badly on intermediate tracks, where Toyota has been untouchable.

In the Gen-7 era alone, Chevrolet leads with 68 wins, Toyota has 46, and Ford trails with 37. As per the data, this gap is growing, not shrinking. For whoever decides to walk through the door next, whether it is Honda, Dodge in Cup, or someone else entirely, that is the mountain waiting for them.