After a 13-year hiatus, Ram will be re-entering NASCAR for the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series, debuting at Daytona in about eight months. Before that, though, RAM showed a select few media members just what this baby’s going to look like.
The truck’s entry onto the stage at Sellantis’ Auburn Hills, MI headquarters was done in typical high-octane Ram fashion: by having the walls of its transport trailer drop to the stage, providing the perfect surface for the truck – officially called a NASCAR concept truck – to perform numerous, smoky burnouts. Like a breakdancer on linoleum in Dundas Square. Just bigger, louder and much smokier.
As fun as this will all be for the fans, new – well, returning, actually – RAM CEO Tim Kuniskis insists that Ram customers are all about it as well.
“For more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR,” he said. “The desire was always there, but we didn’t have a plan that delivered the last tenth and following just didn’t fit our DNA.” Well, seems they have a plan, now, and as a group that loves all things racing, this is music to our ears. With Genesis starting a Le Mans programme, Land Rover heading to the Dakar Rally and with both Cadillac and Audi entering Formula 1 next year, it seems racing is having a moment.
Ram 1500 NASCAR Truck Series concept
Ram 1500 NASCAR Truck Series concept
Ram 1500 NASCAR Truck Series concept
Will they have what it takes to take on Craftsman stalwarts like Toyota and Chevrolet? Well, they’ll have the horses – without getting into official figures, Kuniskis said he hopes to see between 4-6 trucks on the field at the debut race – so time will tell.
If that wasn’t enough, Kuniskis also hinted that they aren’t stopping with Craftsman Truck, but may have designs on a NASCAR Cup Series effort as well…
It’s official: HEMI is BACK
After weeks of speculation, Ram has finally made it official: the hemispherical combustion chamber V8 will be returning to the 1500 pickup for the 2026 model year.
“Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi,” said Kuniskis. “We own it, and we fixed it. We’re not just bringing back a legendary V8 engine. We’re igniting an assertive product plan.” It will be available in all 1500 trims except the RHO and Tungsten, in 5.7-litre format only – for now. Further to having an extra two cylinders over standard 1500 models, it also gets a 48-volt mild hybrid system to help make 395 horsepower and tow up to 11,470 pounds. It also provides an additional 130 pound-feet of torque as soon as the throttle is depressed; official torque figures have not yet been announced.
That hp figure is fine, but it is down a little on what’s made by the turbocharged “Hurricane” six-cylinder currently available, which is curious even if Kuniskis insists that power deficit or no, Ram buyers want to be able to choose a V8. “[We’re] expanding the freedom of choice in powertrain for our customers,” said Kuniskis. OK, but we’re more interested if maybe that could mean the arrival of more powerful Hemi engines going forward.
2026 Ram 1500 Black Express with HEMI V-8
2026 Ram 1500 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with eTorque
2026 Ram 1500 Black Express with HEMI V-8
Canadian pricing has not yet been announced, but Kuniskis did say that opting for a Hemi will cost an additional US $1,200 on every model except the Limited and Longhorn, which already come equipped with the high-output version of the six.