Chevrolet News:Chevrolet Sends The Camaro Into The NASCAR Nationwide Series

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 26, 2012

Ford and Dodge have stepped up to the plate for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, producing the Mustang and Challenger race cars. Now, its Chevrolet's turn at the plate.

Today, the bowtie showed off the new 2013 Camaro NASCAR Nationwide Series racecar. The Camaro race car does closely resembles the actual production mode - though it's still a long way from identical. Underneath, the Camaro isn't that much different from the Ford, Dodge and Toyota.

“Chevrolet is proud to bring the Camaro to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013. The Camaro Nationwide race car incorporates many of the distinctive styling elements of the production Camaro, including the unique power-bulge hood and deep recessed grille. In addition, the design incorporates the distinctive halo light rings and dual-port grille appearances, and the gold bowtie,” said Jim Campbell, vice president, Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports.

The Camaro will make its debut at next year's Daytona race. For now, Chevrolet says the vehicle will be going through the wind tunnel and on-track testing to get it ready.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[Turbojett]

I wish they'd put the Camaro, mustang and Challenger into the Cup as well.

Yeah, yeah, I know, Fusion, Charger, Chevy SS, whatever. as great as all three of those cars are, I've been sick of sedans ever since the old Ford Tortoise was made into a Nascar in like '98.

[hyperv6]

I really don't care for the Camaro, Challanger and Mustang as it is as they really do not trasfer to NASCAR well. Lets face it the Mustang and Challanger only look like what they are if they are coming at you. The Camaro looks good in the nose but the rest of the car does not transfer well.

The reallity is that NASCAR is about the show and controling cost and the days of the body in white are long gone. Hell they are long gone from most racing accept for some road race series.

The Carmaro will be a better marketing tool vs the old Impala but I really do not see alot of value in increased sales here. It is still more a Chevy vs Ford vs what ever Chrysler has left. As for Toyota their fans tend to be more driver related than brand.

As for sedans vs coupes does it really matter?

I do hope we see the Super Sport on the touring cars in Texas when they run next year. All they need to do is change some badges and some stickers.

[ocnblu]

Spindly. Totally misshapen. Off the mark.

[daves87rs]

Ummm...

[A Horse With No Name]

Hyper-Why do you think I watch Perelli challenge and ignore Nascar?

Agree with you completely, sir!

[hyperv6]

Hyper-Why do you think I watch Perelli challenge and ignore Nascar?

Agree with you completely, sir!

I watch too but then again you and I love road racing when the average race fan has little taste for it. With NASCAR it is the show where you see the car for ever second on the track and never miss a thing. It also is about the chance of anyone of 20 cars and a few long shots winning any week.

To be honest I was able to hang with the Camaro teams in the Continental Grand Am series. To me it was just like the old days of Trans Am. But even in this and the Pirelli Series the cars are far from stock in many respects too. The Pirelli cars have many changes and the Grand Am cars have restrictors on them and are not even as fast as the street cars. THe truth is the day of head to head racing is over as the MFG just got too crazy in their attempts of win at any cost. They complain now about not looking stock in stock cars but they were the ones who screwed it up.

It comes down to the point that is the same team wins week after week people would stop watching. [unless his name was Earnhardt]. Also if the same make were to win week after week many MFG would pull out. It is sad but the old days of wide open racing are over and it is now just for entertainment.

To me there is nothing better than SCCA or the old IMSA series at Mid Ohio but that is just me and I am in the minority.

[wskikevin]

"closely resemble" I think not...

[G. David Felt]

Nascar exists for the Good Ol Boys to drink lots of cheap piss budwiezer beer and fondle their cousin.

Road Racing is way better. We need a true race track like Germany has so we can really test the actual cars and drivers.

[hyperv6]

Here is the bottom line. NASCAR is entertainment for the average American. No matter what the die hard race fan thinks it is a form of racing that keeps the average person interested from the Red Neck drunk , house wife and Wall Street broker. It appeals to most and many.

Road racing is for the true enthusiast but even it is tainted anymore as they too need to tinker with it to keep things close or it becomes another F! race where technology is the race.

Like NASCAR or not it is good for racing in general as with out it racing would not be seen as a accepted sport.

We don't need tracks like Germany as we have many natural race tracks here that are world class. The key is to get off the damn street tracks that are boring. But there again it is a necessary evil as that is where the money is for the rich fat old drunks in the hospitality areas. The difference is the Good old boy at least knows who is in the race where the corperate invite is there for the drinks and has no clue who is even in the race but he keeps his shirt on.

[ocnblu]

My problem is, Bubba might see this homemade looking thing and equate it with a real Camaro. And THAT would be a travesty, as the real thing is eleventy billion lightyears better looking.

[cletus8269]

so we got the mustang, challenger, and camaro huh? <cough> trans am series revival <cough>...

[FAPTurbo]

WOOOOOOOO 500 LAPS OF CIRCLES WOOOOOOO

[ocnblu]

Well, aren't you an excitable young man?

[hyperv6]

Don't underestimate Bubba as he has learned how to get over 100,000 people to a race when you all city folk can only get 30,000 to a road race. He also is on national TV live when the road race is one ESPN Ocho at odd times.

Like it or not the technology compitition in racing has prevented stock racing and will keep it away. While stock bodied cars might be a grand Idea it's time was over by 1970. The MFG and Bubba advanced aerodynamics to the point of no return just to win on Sunday. I loved the old Escort Showroom stock challange races but so few people cared and the companies abused the rules too. The Nelson Ledges race was notorious for having a year newer car get into the race from GM or Porsche. In the end they all were cheating and it killed a series no one really watched.

I have road raced and driven stock cars and I love them both. If I had to choose which one to drive in full time it would be road racing. but It is to me like golf. great to do but boring to watch on TV.

If anyone wants the Trans AM series you already have it in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series. They have been running the Camaro and Mustang there for several years. The cars are based on production cars and stock engines. They do have to restrict the intakes to keep the races close on the Camaros and Mustangs but they put on a great race. In many ways these are one of the few stock type series left. THey are much more stock than the Austrailian touring cars. True racing fans would love it but the general public finds it a bore on TV which is a shame. I have hung out with the teams at Mid Ohio and they are great. It is a shame it takes a lot of money to run one of these teams and so little is paid out since so few come to the races.

By the way they have a lot of Bubbas working on the Continental cars since most are based in NC. Seems Bubba knows a thing or two about making cars go fast even left or right.Bubba is damn good at makeing all kinds of cars fast. Who did much of the GT40 work in the 60's? Holman and Moody a bunch of Bubba's did. .

I found that the Mustang and Challanger names and stickers to be a non factor last year. The only good thing here is the nose on the Camaro is nicer than the out going Impala sticker and the Camaro name will get more air time. . It is what it is and there is little way to go back and keep the crowds paying to ome in nation wide.

Edited July 28, 2012 by hyperv6

[ocnblu]

Seems like every good motorsport series gets RUINED by big money. Sad state of affairs for the everyday guy hot on speed but cold on cash.

[hyperv6]

Seems like every good motorsport series gets RUINED by big money. Sad state of affairs for the everyday guy hot on speed but cold on cash.

It is not the money but the need and want to win. Even in my sons Soap Box Derby the rules are tight but the lenghts some go to win are crazy.

But I agree to a degree how How fast do you want to go is also related to how much do you want to spend. It has always been that way no matter the amounts. Those who were able to invest the most tend to come out on top. The fact is life is a compitition and always had a place in society and is what drives us all to become better than our station in life. Few people settle for just what they have.

In any racing there is little status quo and if there is that is the team or driver that is always in last place.

Lifes in general is a race and there are winners and loser. Often hard work and investment are rewarded and those who don't fade away. That is why I don't buy the crap about we don't keep score in kids soccer etc. We all have to learn how to compete. The sad part is the purity of it all is lost but that is the way it is.

This was the one thing I do enjoy much about Autocrosse. It is you vs the clock and it is where your driving matters and you see how you can improve on each run. I have done it in cars from Z06 to my old GMC ZQ8. It was cheap and easy to have fun and enjoy a form of motorsports.

[wildpaws]

Nascar exists for the Good Ol Boys to drink lots of cheap piss budwiezer beer and fondle their cousin.

Road Racing is way better. We need a true race track like Germany has so we can really test the actual cars and drivers.

Gee, what a wonderful assessment/indictment of NASCAR racing. You don't have to like it, but you could at least be a little tolerant and not make nasty (and I do mean nasty and uncalled for) comments about it.

Clyde

[G. David Felt]

Nascar exists for the Good Ol Boys to drink lots of cheap piss budwiezer beer and fondle their cousin.

Road Racing is way better. We need a true race track like Germany has so we can really test the actual cars and drivers.

Gee, what a wonderful assessment/indictment of NASCAR racing. You don't have to like it, but you could at least be a little tolerant and not make nasty (and I do mean nasty and uncalled for) comments about it.

Clyde

LOL, Sarcasm is hard to write!

[A Horse With No Name]

Nascar exists for the Good Ol Boys to drink lots of cheap piss budwiezer beer and fondle their cousin.

Road Racing is way better. We need a true race track like Germany has so we can really test the actual cars and drivers.

Road America, Mid Ohio, Laguna Seca, Virginia International, et al....

go out and enjoy, sir!