what cars race in nascar

[ODante]

NASCAR’s premier Cup Series currently races with the "Next Gen" car, a spec chassis used by all teams. These are not production cars you can buy, but purpose-built race cars with bodies shaped like the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and Toyota Camry TRD. The key shift is that these are now identical symmetrical vehicles underneath the bodywork, with a five-speed sequential transmission and independent rear suspension, making the racing more driver-focused and competitive.

The core of the Next Gen car is its spec chassis, meaning every team uses the same core components supplied by a single vendor. This dramatically lowers costs and increases parity. The carbon fiber body panels are designed to look like the respective production models, but they are purely for brand identity and aerodynamic parity. Under the hood, all cars use a naturally aspirated 5.8L V8 engine, though engine builders still have some room for development within strict rules.

Here’s a quick comparison of the current models:

Manufacturer	Model Represented	Key Performance Specs (Approx.)	Notes
Ford	Mustang Dark Horse	670 hp, 3,200 lbs	Aggressive body styling, new for 2024
Chevrolet	Camaro ZL1	670 hp, 3,200 lbs	Final model year in 2024 before replacement
Toyota	Camry TRD	670 hp, 3,200 lbs	Switched from the Camry to the Camry TRD for 2024
Next Gen Chassis	All	5-speed sequential transmission, independent rear suspension, 18-inch aluminum wheels with a single lug nut	Standard across all manufacturers

It's also important to note that NASCAR has other series. The Xfinity Series uses a similar but distinct spec car, while the Craftsman Truck Series races with bodies resembling pickup trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra. The focus, however, for most fans is on the Cup Series and its three main manufacturers.

[DiGeorge]

Forget what you see on the showroom floor. These are pure race cars with a sticker kit to look like a Mustang, Camaro, or Camry. The big deal is the "Next Gen" car—everyone has the same chassis and parts now. It's all about the driver and strategy, not which team can outspend another on custom engineering. The racing is way tighter and more unpredictable because the cars are so equal.

[DeColin]

It’s a common misconception. They’re not stock cars anymore; they’re highly regulated prototypes. The "stock" part is just the silhouette. The current "Next Gen" platform ensures mechanical parity. My interest lies in the engineering constraints: a spec chassis, a 5.8L V8, and a sequential gearbox. The competition is now funneled into fine-tuning suspension setups and pit strategy, which creates a fascinating technical challenge for the teams within a very tight rulebook.

[VanJames]

Honestly, it's simpler than it used to be. Right now, you're only going to see three brands on the track: Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota. Each one slaps its brand on a nearly identical race car. The goal was to make the competition fairer and cheaper for teams. So when you watch, you're really cheering for the driver and the pit crew, because the cars themselves are almost exactly the same under the skin. It’s made the races a lot more competitive.

[DeBrianna]

As a longtime fan, the biggest change was the introduction of the Next Gen car. We went from cars that were unique to each manufacturer to a single, universal chassis. Now, the Ford, Chevy, and Toyota are fundamentally the same machine. This has completely changed the dynamics of the sport. Passing is more frequent, and wins feel earned purely by team strategy and driver skill, not a technological advantage. It’s a different kind of racing, but the brand rivalry is still as intense as ever.