Mark Martin shared his reaction to Cummins returning as a NASCAR sponsor for Kaulig Racing’s No.12 RAM 1500 truck in 2026. The engineering giant used to be Martin’s sponsor during his Roush Racing era in the 1990s.
Cummins has been operating for over a century, and its partnership with Dodge RAM began in 1989, when the first Cummins-powered truck rolled off the block. Now that RAM has decided to re-enter NASCAR, the engine manufacturer has followed suit.
The season-long sponsorship features a red and yellow paint scheme for Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen’s Truck Series debut. Queen is the defending ARCA Menards champion who has five Truck Series starts to his name. Notably, he was also the first driver announced to Kaulig Racing’s lineup.
The Chesapeake, Virginia native addressed the collaboration and shared an X post, writing:
“Pumped to partner with @Cummins this season. Excited to go chase some wins in the Cummins Ram #12. 🤘🏼”
Elated by the news, Mark Martin welcomed his former sponsor and wrote,
“Proud that @Cummins is still here in @NASCAR supporting this sport 🏁”
Brett Merritt, Vice President and President, Engine Business, Cummins, had this to say about the partnership,
“Cummins has racing in its DNA. From Clessie Cummins’ winning the first Indianapolis 500 as a crew member to our leadership in commercial power, we’ve always pushed the limits of what’s possible. Brenden Queen represents that same spirit – talented, hardworking, and full of momentum. Partnering with both Kaulig Racing and Ram provides the opportunity for us to continue to write our motorsport legacy.”
Mark Martin has become a leading voice in the sport. The Hall of Famer has been vocal about his misgivings with the playoff format, which has drawn the support of drivers and fans alike. He believes the elimination-style format rewards one-off performances over season-long dominance, and has called for the return of the classic points system.
With the playoff races drawing lower viewership numbers, the sport appears to be moving away from the single-race title-decider. Although a full-season championship seems far-fetched at the moment, many believe a three or four-race finale is in order.
Mark Martin ‘impressed’ by NASCAR’s playoff turnaround
In a recent interview with Kenny Wallace Media, Mark Martin shared a rather positive take on NASCAR’s playoff committee. While he was also a part of the initiative, Martin noted that much of his complaints fell on deaf ears at the start.
“I’m not super optimistic about whether, I was involved in the committee and in the beginning, [I] was the only one that was, I was screaming about it. And I wasn’t doing it for me. I was screaming about it because they asked me to be on it and because everywhere I go and every fan I talk to hates playoffs,” Mark Martin said.
“I don’t think we’ll get it, but I am very impressed that it’s actually a consideration,” he added.
