LEAKED: NASCAR V8's Next Step Is An Electric SUV

A leaked image shared on X (formerly Twitter) shows an alleged NASCAR prototype with a crossover body style and electric underpinnings, and it's made fans of the sport very excitable. Several reports indicate that the Cup Series races of the future may be contested in electric crossovers from all three current manufacturers: Toyota, Chevrolet, and Ford.

Road & Track says that the car we see here is built on NASCAR's newly announced next-generation chassis with modifications to accommodate electric powertrain components, and to our eyes, this prototype bears a resemblance to the Chevrolet Blazer SS that will hit the market in the spring of 2024.

So, is there any truth to the suggestion that V8 NASCARs are about to go extinct?

«A lot of work has gone on at the R&D department around EV,» said NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O'Donnell during the annual 'State of the Sport' address. «We have a car. We have an alternative body style with that car. I would not look for us specifically to go racing with it. I think you could see it showcased at certain events next year. But there [are] other forms that we want to look at.»

So NASCAR is exploring EVs, but the decision to take the sport electric has not yet been made. Testing will begin in December at the Martinsville Speedway (the site of one of the most epic racing moves NASCAR has ever seen), and if all goes well there, a public debut of the prototype could happen as early as January 2024, according to Kickin' the Tires.

But even if this exceeds expectations, there are other potential avenues for decarbonizing the sport.

O'Donnell continued: «I am actually headed to Japan on Thursday to go look at hydrogen racing, specifically. [...] We want to, kind of, test each and every form, and we are really excited about what our teams can put together around an electric car, but again, we want to showcase that to the fans and look for additional technologies, as well.»

Toyota has shown that hydrogen power can be viable in motorsport, and then there's the question of synthetic fuels. Either of these technologies would surely be welcomed by NASCAR's fanbase more than a silent EV, but either way, it's clear that the sport is