Days after Stellantis’ RAM Trucks announced its 2026 NASCAR Truck Series entry at Michigan International Speedway, CEO Tim Kuniskis has now confirmed the timeline for the brand’s entry into the top-tier Cup Series.

RAM’s entry into NASCAR makes it the first OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the sport since Toyota introduced its Tundra in 2004. While RAM hasn’t formed a team yet, Kuniskis confidently shared during the announcement that the brand would be ready to race at Daytona next year. He also hinted that the ultimate goal is to race in the Cup Series and that the Truck Series serves as a step to enter the sport. He said:

“There will be more details on our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program later this year. We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance.”

He added:

“We’ll be on track in Daytona in eight months, and the way we’re going to do it is unlike anyone else.

“We’re looking for a date to the prom right now. So how am I going to get to Cup? That’s going to depend on how I get to Truck. So however we get to Truck is going to obviously weigh heavily on ‘do I have a path to Cup?’ Our intention is not to do a one-hit wonder and go to Truck and not to Cup. That’s not our plan.”

Now, Kuniskis has revealed further details on the RAM Trucks’ plans to enter the Cup Series in 2027, a year after the brand’s Truck Series entry. Speaking with Kevin Harvick on NASCAR on FOX, he said:

“Coming into Truck [Series] is a lot easier than coming into Cup [Series], and that’s why we were really confident with all the work that we’ve done on the Truck to say we’ll be in Daytona.

“Now, TBD who the team’s gonna be but we have every confidence that we’re going to be in Daytona.”

He added:

“It’s gonna take a little bit longer to get to Cup. Our goal is to get the Cup a year after that [2027].

“Now, everybody’s told me we’re crazy. ‘There’s no way you’re gonna get there.’ But we think there’s a couple of things from our legacy that might speed that development time up. And maybe we could be in Daytona this [coming] year with Truck, and then the following year, Daytona in Cup.

“A lot of very smart people, smarter than me have told me you better plan on two years to get back to Cup. But TBD, I’m always pushing for the quicker timeline, so I’m hoping that it’s 2027. 2026 for Truck and 2027 for Cup.”

NASCAR icon Mark Martin has launched a blistering critique against the sport’s commercial era. The Hall of Famer claims corporate pressures have systematically erased driver personalities, creating a generation of sanitized competitors. His explosive revelation targets the invisible forces reshaping modern racers.

Martin insists today’s drivers possess hidden depth that sponsorship demands actively suppress. This corporate sanitization prevents magnetic superstars from emerging despite extraordinary on-track talent. The observation follows Sunday’s Mexico City race, where fearless driving failed to translate into fan connection.

Mark Martin Believes ‘Commerciality’ Suppressing NASCAR Drivers’ Personalities

Martin minced no words about NASCAR’s personality crisis during a revealing interview with Kenny Wallace. He contends drivers consciously suppress their authentic selves to satisfy sponsors and officials. The result is a field of racers appearing artificially bland.

“It doesn’t seem like there’s been enough super high rivalry,” Martin stated on “The Kenny Wallace Conversation.” His voice carried decades of track wisdom. “First of all, you had to water down the personalities, and that hasn’t helped.”

The 66-year-old legend sees through the polished facades. “I truly believe that the drivers today are not nearly as vanilla as they appear to be. I’ll guarantee you Jimmy Johnson was not.”

He pointed to Jimmie Johnson as prime evidence, a champion who concealed vibrant character beneath corporate polish.

“Jimmie Johnson’s one hell of a character, but he never showed that because of the commercialism of the sport. I think that has stopped these next generation as emerging as big superheroes.”

This sponsorship muzzle prevents new heroes from capturing the public imagination despite jaw-dropping skill.

Sunday’s Mexico City battle exemplified the disconnect. “I’m looking at those guys out there and they’re driving their a** off. It’s incredible,” Martin observed. “But yet so many people don’t realize that … there’s just not enough superheroes.” Raw talent isn’t translating into stardom.

Read More: Michael Waltrip Backs ‘Unapologetic’ Denny Hamlin Amid NASCAR’s Personality Debate

Kenny Wallace and Martin Discuss Team Culture Enforcing Driver Conformity in NASCAR

The conformity pressure starts at the team level, according to insiders. Podcast host Wallace singled out Hendrick Motorsports’ leadership for enforcing robotic professionalism. He claimed four-time champion Jeff Gordon actively discourages driver individuality.

“Jeff Gordon wants his drivers vanilla, and that’s what I want everybody to know. Jeff wants robotic, corporate drivers,” Wallace bluntly stated during their conversation. “He doesn’t want anybody bucking the system.” The comment sparked knowing agreement from Martin.

Martin’s own Hendrick experience offered a stark contrast. When he joined the powerhouse team in 2009, owner Rick Hendrick demanded zero persona adjustments. “There was zero pressure on me to be anything different than who I was,” Martin emphasized.

But rookies faced different rules. “Jimmie came in. He was a rookie. He would want to conform,” Martin explained. New drivers often mask true personalities, believing it’s required for success.

This self-censorship creates NASCAR’s core dilemma. Talent isn’t lacking — only the unfiltered personas that made legends like Dale Earnhardt cultural icons. The commercial era’s invisible rules trade authenticity for sponsor approval.

Martin sees dangerous consequences. Without magnetic personalities, even spectacular racing like Mexico City’s fails to captivate beyond core fans. The solution? Unleash the real characters beneath the firesuits. The Hall of Famer’s challenge echoes beyond the interview.

Can NASCAR balance commercial realities with the raw personalities that built its legacy? Sunday’s grandstands will reveal the answer.

Sure, NASCAR is going from a 15-turn road course in Mexico to a familiar old track in the Pocono Mountains, but Pocono Raceway isn’t your typical stock-car oval track.

IRVINE, Calif., June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MobileX, the most customizable wireless service designed to save consumers money, and Walmart are teaming up to bring Australian Supercars Champion Will Brown to the Chicago Street Race, one of the most anticipated NASCAR events of the year. Brown will join Kaulig Racing for his second NASCAR Cup Series in the Grant Park 165 on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

MobileX will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro, with branding from both MobileX and Walmart featured prominently on the car. MobileX and Walmart’s partnership highlights their shared commitment to performance, innovation and delivering high-octane experiences both on and off the track as they support Brown’s return.

“We’re excited to be back at NASCAR, firing on all cylinders alongside Walmart and sponsoring international star Will Brown in his NASCAR Cup Series return,” said Peter Adderton, Founder and CEO of MobileX. “At MobileX, we thrive on partnering with elite talent pushing boundaries in the world’s most electrifying sports. Will is a bold, relentless and precision-driven global force, and embodies the same disruptive energy we bring to wireless. Together with Walmart, we’re not just showing up, we’re showing consumers what a modern lifestyle brand looks like… one that’s fast, fearless and focused on delivering unbeatable value.”

MobileX continues to drive disruption in the wireless industry by helping customers pay only for what they use. Unlike traditional carriers that lock users into rigid plans, MobileX is the only wireless provider that uses AI to analyze a customer’s actual behavior, forecast their usage and recommend the most efficient plan based on their needs. Available in 3,700 Walmart stores nationwide and online, MobileX is redefining what modern wireless service looks like: smarter, more flexible and built for how people truly live and connect.

Fresh off a dominant season that earned him the 2024 Supercars Championship, Brown is widely considered one of the sport’s rising stars. This sponsorship marks his second partnership with MobileX, following their collaboration during his NASCAR debut last season.

MobileX is also rolling out a special incentive for its Chicago-area wireless dealers. The top three performing dealers through the month of June will earn an exclusive VIP experience at the event, including premium hospitality and behind-the-scenes access with the Kaulig Racing team.

The Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

For more information on MobileX, please visit mymobilex.com.

About MobileX
Headquartered in Orange County, California, MobileX is the world’s most customizable mobile carrier delivering the ultimate in choice and cost control. MobileX is a unique service that uses artificial intelligence to predict how much data customers need, delivering a dramatic reduction in cost while ensuring reliable speed and service. MobileX was founded by Peter Adderton, who also founded both Boost Mobile and Digital Turbine. For more information, please visit mymobilex.com.

Press contact:
Illume PR for MobileX
[email protected] 

SOURCE Mobile X Global, Inc.

KAUKAUNA (NBC 26) — NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin returned to Wisconsin International Raceway Thursday night, joining an illustrious group of racing legends at the track’s Circle of Fame.

NBC 26 was there to capture it all.

NASCAR legend Mark Martin returns to Wisconsin International Raceway, praises local racing sprit

For Martin, he says the visit was a homecoming to a place that helped launch his storied career.

“This is where I came to learn how to race. I raced with the nation’s greatest racers, and it prepared me to go NASCAR racing,” Martin said.

The celebration holds special significance for the local racing community in Northeast Wisconsin, where preserving short track racing has become increasingly important.

Marty Nussbaum, a member of the Fox River Racing Club who oversees the Circle of Fame, sees these events as crucial for the sport’s survival.

“When the week that you worked on the car and you bring it out here and you get a crowd of people in the stands, that shows the racer that you appreciate what they’ve done,” Nussbaum said passionately .

The Circle of Fame was created to honor the track’s legendary figures and has become a way to maintain interest in local racing.

“Jerry Schneider approved me with the idea of the circle of fame for the racers that have done things out here for WIR and the Fox River Racing Club,” Nussbaum said. “Unfortunately, Jerry got sick and passed away and he left the Circle of Fame to me.”

Since taking over the responsibility, Nussbaum has focused on using these recognition events to build community support.

“Maybe [we] get the fire going with them so they come back week in and week out,” Nussbaum said.

The celebration comes at a critical time for short track racing. Local race tracks around Wisconsin and across the country are being sold or shut down. Most recently for Wisconsin, State Park Speedway in Wausau.

Despite these industry challenges, Wisconsin International Raceway continues to thrive, welcoming both fans and racing legends home.

Track owners say more legends like Martin will be visiting the track in the future, hoping to inspire attendance from both racing enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

**This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.**