NASCAR SUVs Are Coming. These Are the Models We'd Put on the Grid.

NASCAR is exploring how to incorporate SUVs into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as part of a broader effort to align with the evolving production-car market. The initiative is tied to development of an electric platform that could be used in the second-tier racing series, not the top-level Cup Series. NASCAR has already designed and tested crossover body shapes in partnership with ABB, reflecting a deliberate shift away from the sport’s traditional sedans and hydrocarbon-focused roots. Executives said the goal is to create a distinct identity for OEMs, acknowledging that sedans are no longer dominant in consumer demand and that CUVs have become the “hot thing.” The article frames this as a continuation of past debates within NASCAR, including earlier controversy when new pickup-based categories were introduced.