Supercars responds to Camaro discontinuation

Following Chevrolet’s announcement on 22 March that they will discontinue production of the Camaro in its current form by January, 2024, the Repco Supercars Championship have stated they will continue to race the Chevy pony car in Australia until at least the end of 2025.

A statement released by Supercars CEO Shane Howard on 23 March admitted that GM’s decision to cancel the sixth-generation Camaro will have an impact on the category, but acknowledged that change is inevitable and the sport’s ties to Chevrolet’s parent, General Motors, will remain.

“We will continue our strong partnership with GM into the future,” Howard said.
“GM has been an integral part of our heritage and has played a significant role in shaping Supercars to become what it is today, the greatest touring car category in the world.

“Ever since Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland famously won in a Holden Monaro at Bathurst in 1968, GM has helped shape the careers of some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s greatest drivers, including Peter Brock, Mark Skaife, Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup and, most recently, Shane van Gisbergen.
“For fans, the Camaro will continue to proudly represent Chevrolet Racing in the Repco Supercars Championship until at least the end of 2025,” Howard concluded

The decision to cancel the Camaro comes only two rounds after the Australian racing debut of the Gen3 spec Camaro ZL1, which makes up 56 per cent of this year’s 25-car Supercars grid. Of the six races that have been completed at time of writing, five have been won by Camaro drivers. Shane van Gisbergen (Red Bull Ampol Racing) and Brodie Kostecki (Coca-Cola Racing) have two wins piece, with one win for Broc Feeney (Red Bull Ampol Racing).

What the end of the Camaro means for Supercars beyond 2025 is too early to tell at this stage, as there’s no obvious petrol-engined replacement in the US or elsewhere, given most manufacturers have discontinued comparable models or are moving to electrification of their vehicles. These include past Supercars entries from Volvo, Nissan and Mercedes-AMG.

Keeping the Camaro racing indefinitely beyond 2025 seems unlikely, as Supercars would lose market relevance, while running the Mustang in a “one make” series is equally unlikely.