One of NASCAR‘s three main manufacturers is about to make a significant change. Chevrolet has announced it will discontinue the sixth-gen Camaro in 2024.
The auto manufacturer announced the news on Wednesday, March 22. Chevrolet said that the 2024 model year will be the last for the muscle car and that production at the Michigan plant will end in January. What this means for the future of the Camaro remains unclear, but Chevrolet said that it would continue the story.
“As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer, Camaro assembly line employee, and race fan,” said Chevrolet Global Vice President Scott Bell.
“While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.”
This Decision Will Potentially Affect NASCAR
GettyChevrolet clinched the Cup Series manufacturer’s championship in 2022.
The decision to discontinue the current generation of Chevrolet Camaro is not overly surprising; Dodge owner Stellantis previously announced that it will end its run of gas-powered muscle cars while focusing on an electric future.
That being said, Dodge is not currently competing in NASCAR. The Chevrolet Camaro has a strong presence in the national NASCAR series, and it has accounted for multiple wins, championships, and milestones.
The Camaro also competes in IMSA, SRO, NHRA, and the Supercars Championship, so there will be extra attention on Chevrolet moving forward, as well as questions about the future in motorsports.
The company has provided one answer so far. Chevrolet said in the press release that it will work with the sanctioning bodies to ensure that it will continue to compete on the track.
“Chevrolet’s products and our relationship with our customers benefit from motorsports,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president, Performance and Motorsports. “Our plan is to continue to compete and win at the highest levels of auto racing.”
Several Chevrolet Teams Use the Camaro
GettyJeremy Clements (top) and Justin Allgaier (bottom) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Chevrolet lineup in NASCAR is robust, especially in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. There are several teams that use the Camaro, whether as an official partner or depending on the driver for each race on the respective schedules.
Some of the biggest names in the Xfinity Series are JR Motorsports, Jordan Anderson Racing, Kaulig Racing, Richard Childress Racing, DGM Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, Jeremy Clements Racing, Big Machine Racing, JD Motorsports, BJ McLeod Motorsports, and Our Motorsports.
SS GreenLight Racing and Emerling-Gase Motorsports use a mix of entries for specific drivers. The weekend at Circuit of the Americas is a fitting example. SS GreenLight will have Aric Almirola in a Ford and Carson Hocevar in a Chevrolet. EGM will have Brad Perez in a Chevrolet and Parker Chase in a Ford.
The Cup Series also features several teams with strong ties to Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Kaulig Racing, Spire Motorsports, Legacy Motor Club, JTG Daugherty Racing, and Trackhouse Racing are all prominent examples.
Live Fast Motorsports also switched to Chevrolet ahead of the 2023 Cup Series season after several seasons with Ford Performance. The No. 78 became a Camaro as a variety of drivers agreed to make starts for the team.
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Chevrolet To Discontinue 6th-Gen Camaro