Chinese Automaker’s Rumored NASCAR Bid Is Riddled With Red Flags
The Drive ·
Great Wall Motor posted a job listing for a "NASCAR expert" just months after revealing a race car prototype. I'm still not convinced. The post Chinese Automaker’s Rumored NASCAR Bid Is Riddled With Red Flags appeared first on The Drive .
I logged on today to see rumors swirling about Great Wall Motor joining NASCAR. The company revealed a race car prototype back in April at the Auto China Show, and just last week, Car News China reported that GWM posted a job listing for a “NASCAR expert.” So what should we make of this? Should we expect a manufacturer that doesn’t sell cars in the U.S. to join Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge as the Cup Series’ fifth major marque?
Being honest, I don’t think so. There’s more than one reason why, and most of it boils down to precedent. I’ll explain.
The most compelling argument that GWM will join NASCAR is built on the aforementioned job posting, but that’s pretty weak on its own. While hearing that GWM is game to pay someone for their NASCAR experience is at least interesting, it’s not entirely surprising. We’re talking about a major manufacturer that sells more than one million cars globally every year. In other words, it has the money to spend on exploratory ventures like this, and GWM likely won’t chalk it up as a loss if no Cup Series entry comes of it. (If you know how much money car companies blow on trivial projects, you know what I mean.)
I’ll concede that the job description is at least specific. “Job responsibilities include overseeing the technical strategic planning and R&D roadmap for both NASCAR and IndyCar tracks, leading the performance development of the NASCAR Gen7 chassis and V8 engine (Coyote 5.86L), and calibrating and validating the IndyCar Dallara race car’s twin-turbo V6 powertrain,” explains Chinese outlet Phoenix Auto . “Other responsibilities include aerodynamic kit design, establishing vehicle dynamics tuning methodologies, optimizing race strategies using real-time telemetry data, and liaising with the NASCAR/IndyCar technical regulations team to ensure race car compliance.”
So not only does this position include consulting on NASCAR matters, but also IndyCar. While those are both American racing disciplines, they are wildly different, and it seems like further confirmation that this is an exploratory effort above all else.
Next is the fact that the GWM race car prototype from the 2026 Beijing Auto Show looks nothing like a NASCAR Cup car. Sure, it has two doors and a long hood, but that’s about it. Rather than a Next Gen (or Gen 7) racer, it more closely resembles an IMSA GT car. Just look at the swan-neck rear wing.
Great Wall Motor's NASCAR-style plug-in hybrid prototype has been spotted in Baoding, China. The car debuted at April's Beijing Auto Show with a longitudinal V6. GWM said it would eventually move to a V8 hybrid system. pic.twitter.com/nkUiMX9LhV
GWM claimed that the car was developed with a hybrid V6, but it would eventually be upgraded to a plug-in hybrid V8. It’s important to note that NASCAR developed the Next Gen platform with the ability to go hybrid eventually, but that hasn’t happened yet, and it’s unclear when the series might add a battery and electric motor to augment rear-wheel power.
GWM actually showcased a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas; however, that doesn’t align with the NASCAR Cup Series’ required 358-cubic-inch displacement. Likewise, the strange mention of a “Coyote 5.86L” in the job posting suggests the competition engine would be different altogether. And if GWM is alluding to a Ford Coyote V8 in any way, those are dual overhead cam engines instead of pushrod engines like NASCAR requires.
Lastly, I just don’t see NASCAR approving an entry from a Chinese manufacturer in our lifetimes. The sanctioning body has made decisions that frustrated fans in the past, but green-lighting GWM would rub millions of NASCAR diehards the wrong way. I’m not here to debate whether that anger would be justifiable, but it’s true. Plus, with how hostile the federal government is toward Chinese cars , and how cozy NASCAR is with the current administration , I simply don’t see the organization risking a public shaming from the president ( again ).
Could I be wrong about all this? Of course. I’ve been wrong plenty of times before. But I doubt I will be about this.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
The post Chinese Automaker’s Rumored NASCAR Bid Is Riddled With Red Flags appeared first on The Drive .