Camaro’s ’18 return to Cup has Johnson fired up
There hasn’t been a Camaro on Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racetracks in more than 40 years. That will change in 2018.
Chevrolet, with the help of drivers Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., unveiled the Camaro ZL1 Cup car that its racers will use next season Thursday afternoon outside its headquarters at the Renaissance Centert. The drivers were in the Motor City to promote Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
“It’s a monster. I love it,” Johnson said while hopping out of his new ride. “I so enjoy driving the car. The torque, the power, the handling; it is very fun to drive on the street. I know consumers are going to love and enjoy that.
“I’ve never raced a Camaro, so I’m excited to get on the racetrack and be in a Camaro next year. It’s the first time in a long, long time for a Camaro to be on a racetrack. It looks amazing, and I know it’s going to perform very well.”
Chevy officials said the car would make its debut at the Daytona 500 in February. Its engineers put the car through a battery of aerodynamic testing to develop its sleek design character. It features a 650-horsepower supercharged engine with a 90-degree V-8 configuration.
The ZL1 joins the Camaro SS, which is the ride Chevy has used in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2013.
Almost all of Chevy’s NASCAR drivers were on hand for the unveiling. After looking around at the crowd, Johnson realized he was going to have plenty of competition when it comes to being the first to get the checkered flag in the ZL1.
“I hope I’m the guy who gets to victory lane first,” he said.