As NASCAR prepares for the 2026 season, officials have issued new technical updates and rule changes.
During the 2025 season, NASCAR announced that the cars would get a horsepower boost for some of the tracks.
The races run on tracks under 1.5 miles in length will get a horsepower boost to 750. The crews will use the short track and road course package with a three inch spoiler with fewer diffuser strakes.
Bristol, Darlington, Dover, Nashville, and Gateway will all get a configuration change from the intermediate track rules to the short track/road course rules package.
A new addition to the cars next season is A-post flaps. The A-post runs from the hood to the roof along the edge of the windshield. Beginning next season, those A-posts must include a flap that will deploy along with the roof flaps in a crash to help keep the car on the ground during a spin. The surface underneath the new flaps must be bright orange to increase visibility.
The NASCAR rule book for next season includes testing rules for new manufacturers entering one of the three series. Ram will be joining the Craftsman Truck Series next season.
New testing guidelines include:
-A maximum of three tests with a limit of three affiliated organizations with two vehicles.
-A maximum of two consecutive days per test.
-All testing must be completed by March 1.
-Repaved tracks, new tracks, or tracks that have events within 60 days will not be allowed.
More rules changes may be announced next year prior to the beginning of the season.
Chevrolet has made some updates to the Camaro ZL1 body for the Cup Series next season. The updates reflect those made for the street cars with a larger hood dome, grille revisions, and redefined rocker panels.
The new tweaked Camaro ZL1 will debut at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1.