Dodge Plots NASCAR Return

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is exploring ways for its Dodge brand to return to NASCAR, which the carmaker left amid financial constraints in 2012.

Declaring he’d “love to” be part of the stock car racing series again, CEO Sergio Marchionne tells Autoweek he’s had talks with several members of NASCAR’s ruling France family about the possibility.

Marchionne notes that FCA is in a far “different place” now and much better equipped to support such activities than when he was forced to pull the plug on Dodge’s NASCAR program after Fiat helped Chrysler emerge from bankruptcy.

"We need to find the right way to come back in," Marchionne says. He expects further talks with NASCAR to happen within “short order."

NASCAR previously has said it wants to add another carmaker to the series. Currently, Chevrolet (Impala), Ford (Fusion) and Toyota (Camry) supply cars to NASCAR’s top Sprint Cup series, with Toyota winning the 2016 manufacturers’ championship. Several private teams have raced Dodge Challengers in the second-tier Xfinity Cup series without factory support.