CHEVY PROMISES CLOSER SUPERCARS TIES TO NASCAR

There is no surprise in the announcement that Team 18 will be the new Supercars' homologation team for General Motors from 2026 – and that KRE Race Engines will continue as exclusive engine supplier.

What is a surprise is a commitment from GM Motorsports to provide a stronger link to NASCAR for its Australian teams and drivers.

"As part of this new alliance, GM will foster collaboration amongst Chevy teams and a connection back to GM Motorsports - giving teams and drivers opportunities to compete outside of Supercars, including building and facilitating more direct relationships with NASCAR teams," says GM Motorsport in the official confirmation of its future Supercars plan.

"Team 18 and the other Camaro based teams will have access to GM Motorsport's technical resources in the USA, including state-of-the-art development and engineering advancements, including AI, machine learning, simulations, and more."

The official announcement of Team 18 as the homologation squad ends months of speculation and backroom moves since the bombshell defection of Triple Eight Racing Engineering from GM to Ford.

It also points strongly to Brad Jones Racing becoming the second Toyota team in Supercars, with PremiAir Racing believed to be continuing its commitment to GM and the cars built for the team by Triple Eight.

The official confirmation of Team 18 came at Taupo in the lead-up to the New Zealand leg of the Supercars' championship, with predictable positive talk from GM ANZ's motorsport manager Chris Payne and company boss Jess Bala.

But the heart of the announcement comes from Dr Eric Warren, Executive Director of Global Motorsports Competition for General Motors, who is promising a new deal in Supercars.

"General Motors (GM) Motorsports, along with General Motors Australia & New Zealand, will form a new alliance with Chevrolet Racing teams as part of our ongoing commitment to Supercars," he says.

"GM will continue to work with Supercars, Team 18, and all Chevrolet Racing teams to provide transparency and input throughout the homologation process. This will strengthen performance and partnerships across the racing series.

"Additionally, General Motors will welcome Team 18 as the official homologation partner of Chevrolet Racing from the 2026 Season and beyond, as it reaffirms its ongoing commitment to Supercars across Australia and New Zealand."

Slightly surprisingly, there is no mention of Jeromy Moore, who has been recruited by GM as its lead engineer on Supercars and with a broader future role in the company's other motorsport programs.

There is no mention, either, of GM's deal with Supercars – which needs to be renewed beyond 2026 – or future plans for the Chevrolet Camaro, which goes out of production this year.

Even so, Warren's words reflect a stronger future commitment to Supercars, and Australia, after years of relying almost exclusively on Triple Eight.

“Whether it’s Supercars, or any other race series that Chevrolet competes in across the globe, we are there to win, and we’re looking forward to working with Team 18 and all the Chevy Camaro teams in any way we can, to achieve that goal," he says.

Jess Bala, who has become a huge fan of Supercars since arriving to become managing director GM Australia and New Zealand (GM ANZ) – despite the focus on electrification with the Cadillac brand – points to the company's historic commitment to touring car racing.

“GM has had an incredible 60-plus-year history of success in Supercars racing in Australia and New Zealand, and we know that Supercars fans love the Chevrolet brand”, she says.

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