No chance for Dodge, other manufacturers to join NASCAR until 2020 season at earliest

Speculation about the return of Dodge to the top level of NASCAR can be put on hold for at least a few more seasons.

Kind of like the old saying about March, the last time Dodge returned to NASCAR, it came in like a lion — with Ray Evernham and big name drivers in tow — and went out like a lamb, fading away from the Cup Series after the 2012 season with little fanfare.

Despite that, rumors have persisted about Dodge getting back into the sport over the last few years, as well as whispers that Honda, which races in just about every other series around, would make a NASCAR appearance. And while they still could, it won’t happen this season or in 2019.

NASCAR President Brent Dewar said as much while speaking to the Motor Racing Network’s NASCAR Live show earlier this week. As NBC Sports relays, Dewar said the opportunity for any other manufacturer to get into stock car racing won’t be for two or more years.

"“Nothing to announce right now on the manufacturer front. We have a cadence to come in. The earliest one would be able to join would be 2020. We have entry ramps that come in.”"

That jibes with what has happened in the past, as manufacturers generally need an entire year to go through the kinds of discussions and approvals needed by NASCAR. So a Dodge return in 2020, for instance, would likely be announced early next year if it was in the cards.

The really intriguing part of Dewar’s comments, though, was that NASCAR sounds like it actually wants Dodge back and Honda in the fold too. Here’s what he said when asked about the number of manufacturers NASCAR would like to see racing:

"“I think optimally four or five is the right number for what we’re looking at. We’ve got a great series in sports car that focuses primary on the luxury brands. That is the IMSA Series. The NASCAR series is the mass brands, the Toyotas the Chevrolets,  and the Fords and their competitors. We think there are a couple of more brands in America that would be perfectly suited to come join us and race against their competitors. We work very hard at keeping the sport in front of them.”"

It makes perfect sense for NASCAR to be courting all major car manufacturers at all times, and even if balancing more makes would be an additional headache, it just enhances the idea that NASCAR is the place to be in North American motorsports if every car company wants to be involved.

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Considering all the glum news on the business side of the sport in recent seasons, Dodge and/or Honda could give stock car racing a much-needed boost of dollars and enthusiasm. Just don’t expect it to happen until the end of the decade at the earliest.