It has come to this for Dodge in NASCAR. Roger Penske’s team will be the only one left running a car with a Dodge logo and headlight stickers on it for 2010. It is a far cry from the triumphant announcements that came in 2001 when Dodge came back into the sport after a 15-year absence. It appears the company’s next “time away” will be starting sooner rather than later.
Since returning to the sport, Dodge has recorded 41 wins, the least by a long shot of the three manufacturers that have been involved constantly from 2000. We’re not sure how long an agreement Penske has with Dodge, but we are sure that Chrysler had its worst sales year since 1962 in 2009 and the racing budget is certainly not priority number one in Auburn Hills.
Penske’s operation is large as you’d expect and will be fielding four cars. The team had one of their drivers in the 2009 Chase so in theory, they could contend for a title, assuming that the other makes have not made significant advancements with their superior numbers and ability to share information.
We’d hate to see Dodge drop out of NASCAR if for no other reason that it would be yet another piece of bad PR for a company that is battered on the ropes. Just the positive aspect of a Dodge racer winning a race or two may help to maintain enthusiasm for the brand while it anxiously awaits new Fiat-based offerings here in North America.
