Is a New Manufacturer Entering NASCAR for the 2021 Cup Series Season?

For a fairly long time, NASCAR has had three primary manufacturers, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. However, it has had several manufacturers throughout its entire lifespan. In an interesting piece of news though, the Rick Ware Racing team may have let slip that a new manufacturer may join the NASCAR arena.

In reply to one of their fans on Instagram, the team said, “We will continue to run Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros, but will soon be announcing an additional manufacturer that will run with us in 21… and no it’s not Toyota.”

This revelation is quite startling, considering that 2021 is the final year with the current generation car. For the moment, the team has yet to confirm its official manufacturer. The team primarily worked with Chevrolet and/or Ford, but teased a new manufacturer partner, which isn’t Toyota.

Who could the NASCAR team be partnering with?

In all honesty, this mysterious manufacturer could be anybody. One option is Dodge, who raced in NASCAR until 2012, or Pontiac who raced until 2004. Those two are the only ones among the former manufacturers, but it is worth noting that Pontiac has stopped producing cars since 2010. So the only realistic option is Dodge, especially among the former manufacturers.

There was some speculation that the team could be referring to their IndyCar or other teams. This is because they recently received a road course Honda IndyCar. However, if this is true that a new manufacturer could come to NASCAR, there could be some interesting choices. Names like BMW, Honda, and even Hyundai have been thrown around in recent times.

Admittedly, the Hyundai option could go nowhere. This is because the company’s head of global product strategy and design didn’t give a straight answer. Additionally, BMW teased a foray into the stock car scene owing to the Next Gen NASCAR model.

If BMW does step into the NASCAR pond, they will be the ninth European manufacturer to race in the sport. Their predecessors are, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Jaguar, MG Motor, Porsche, Triumph, and Volkswagen. For now, all we can go on is the Rick Ware Racing team’s tease.

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