2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 replaces SS as NASCAR racer

As the Holden Commodore faces curtain call, Chevy’s NASCAR bosses haven’t had to look far to find its replacement for the Chevrolet SS.

With the next season of NASCAR comes the arrival of its NASCAR Camaro ZL1.

The track car retains a strong resemblance to its road-going sibling, as per the usual NASCAR standards.

Driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet Jimmie Johnson says that he’s interested to see how the Camaro fares as a NASCAR cup car, as opposed to the very different street version he’s experienced before.

“The new Camaro ZL1 is a great-looking race car with a lot of heritage behind it, which will make it a big hit with fans,” says Johnson.

“And as someone who’s enjoyed the ZL1 on the street, I’m really looking forward to getting this new race car on the track.”

Due to race in 2018, the car revealed at the media event wore a number 8 livery, the same number company founder Louis Chevrolet was once known for.

GM global products VP Mark Reuss says the brands heritage has helped it become a successful racing team today.

“Chevrolet, Camaro and ZL1 are all synonymous with winning, both on and off the track,” Reuss says.

“We are thrilled to run Camaro in NASCAR next year, with the time-honoured and track-tested ZL1 badge, and we’re just as excited for our drivers, teams, fans and customers.”

The ZL1 badge was first used in the ‘60s on a Chevrolet-developed engine which found success in road racing. The badge has made a comeback over four decades later, much to the same effect.