Chevrolet revealed its updated car body for the NASCAR Cup Series on Friday, unveiling a refreshed Camaro ZL1 that will make its competition debut in 2026.
The subtle updates to the Cup Series body take styling cues from a performance accessories kit that Chevrolet recently released for the car’s road-going counterpart. NASCAR officials said that these performance updates, which have been incorporated into the race-ready Camaro, were the product of collaboration with the manufacturer and have satisfied the competition department’s requirements for a new-look body next season.
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According to Chevrolet, the racing version of the Camaro now features a larger hood dome, revisions to the front grille and redefined rocker panels. The automaker indicated that those design features align with the Carbon Performance Package Accessories Kit’s carbon-fiber pieces on the hood and rockers, plus a new grille and front splitter.
A look at the new Chevrolet grille
Chevrolet debuted the Camaro ZL1 model for NASCAR competition in 2018, when it replaced the outgoing Chevy SS. The body style was updated to the Camaro ZL1 1LE in 2020, and a Next Gen version launched when that platform debuted in the Cup Series two years later.
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Chevrolet ended production of the passenger-car Camaro line with the 2024 model run. When that news broke in March 2023, Scott Bell — Global Chevrolet’s vice president — hinted that the venerable nameplate could return.
“While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro‘s story,” Bell said.
Whether an all-new Camaro or some other model could reach NASCAR’s tracks in future seasons is undetermined. A Chevrolet statement said: “While we do not comment on future products, we can assure you we are working on what’s next for Chevrolet in NASCAR. Again, our commitment to competing in NASCAR remains steadfast.”
The updated Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make its competition debut in the season-opening Cook Out Clash exhibition at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 1 (8 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, HBO Max).
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Chevrolet clinched this year’s manufacturer’s championship in NASCAR’s premier series, marking the fifth consecutive season that the bowtie brand has topped fellow competitors Ford and Toyota. Chevy scored a series-best 15 wins last season and captured the 2025 Cup Series driver’s title with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson.
