Chevrolet has pulled the cover off the updated body that its teams will field during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
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According to a press release on Friday, Nov. 14, the teams will still use the Camaro ZL1 while competing for wins and championships. However, this updated version of the stock car features multiple changes to bring it in line with the recently released Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package accessories kit.
Chief among these updates is a larger hood power dome. The updated Chevrolet also has a revised front grille and more pronounced rocker panels along the sides of the car.
The OEM partners says that the hood dome and rocker panels mirror the carbon fiber versions on the Carbon Performance Package. The revised grille and splitter are from the ZL1 1LE.
Photo credit: Chevrolet
Chevrolet says that it worked with its NASCAR teams while developing this updated body for the 2026 season. Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman also used it this week during a two-day tire test at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Chevrolet is now the third OEM partner to update its body in the Next Gen era. Ford moved to the Mustang Dark Horse in 2024. Toyota moved to the Camry XSE that same season while Chevrolet continued to field the Camaro that first debuted with the move to Gen 7 in 2022.
The lack of body changes has not been a major detriment to Team Chevy, especially Hendrick Motorsports. The Bowtie teams have accounted for 15 wins per season in 2024 and '25. Toyota had 14 wins last season and nine in 2024. Ford had seven wins last season and 12 in 2024.
"I'm excited about it, can I say that?" Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said earlier this week on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "I think it's gonna be, hopefully... I think that we've been giving up a little bit to the Toyotas and the Fords.
"They had a shot at the apple and made their cars better. So we have a turn to work on our car a little bit."
