Groovy Hollow Recap
In a recent episode of SiriusXM, team owner and NASCAR legend Rick Hendrick stated that he believes Chevrolet will announce its 2026 body design this week.
“I think Chevrolet is going to make the official announcement Friday… I’m excited… I think 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 our turn to work on our car a little bit.”
– Rick Hendrick
Chevrolet’s new body has been long anticipated, and rumors even indicated that it would be revealed during the Charlotte Roval race weekend, which, of course, didn’t happen.
At the end of September, NASCAR executive Elton Sawyer said “all the boxes have been checked” regarding the new Chevy body, meaning it was already determined which car would be used at that time. We covered that in the article below.
Despite that, there has been little to no indication about which car Chevrolet will actually use for the upcoming season. And while many theories have circulated, none have a solid basis or justification, so they remain nothing more than speculation.
Since November 12, tests have been taking place at Bristol Motor Speedway, featuring the 750HP engine and a different diffuser, possibly a new addition to the Next Gen car for the 2026 season at Bristol, as NASCAR seeks to improve racing on shorter ovals.
During these closed tests, one driver from each manufacturer is present: Bubba Wallace for Toyota, Ryan Preece for Ford, and Alex Bowman for Chevrolet. Although no official photos or high-quality videos have surfaced from the session, users were able to utilize the aerial EarthCam feed of the racetrack and spot the new Chevrolet, although with extremely low quality.
Naturally, it’s nearly impossible to identify any design differences from such footage alone, but that didn’t stop anyone from speculating and joking about the picture quality (or lack thereof) on social media. Regardless, fans won’t have to wait much longer for official details. Per Rick Hendrick, the announcement is expected on Friday, which should finally satisfy months of curiosity.
All eyes are now on Chevrolet’s social media for the reveal. The Camaro, which has represented Chevrolet in the Cup Series since 2018, ceased production at the end of 2024, and from a marketing standpoint, proceeding with a discontinued model makes little sense.
During the Next Gen era, both rival manufacturers have already introduced new bodies. Ford debuted the Mustang Dark Horse, while Toyota unveiled the Camry XSE, both making their debut on the 2024 Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
What do you think will be Chevy’s new body design? Let us know what you think on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Stay tuned on The Daily Downforce to get the latest pieces of information on this and various other topics from the sport.
