GM has designed cars specifically for use in NASCAR, with Chevrolet serving as the flagship brand. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is the contemporary entry in the series. Past models fielded under the GM umbrella include the Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Chevrolet Impala, and the Chevrolet SS. Across all its brands, GM has won numerous NASCAR Cup Series manufacturers' championships: 40 with Chevrolet — the most of any make in NASCAR history — three with Oldsmobile, two with Buick, and one with Pontiac. In 2021, Chevrolet became the first brand in NASCAR history to reach 800 race victories.
GM participated in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) from 2004 to 2012, competing under the Chevrolet banner. GM has also competed in championships sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
In Australia, Holden — GM's local subsidiary — fielded cars based on the Monaro, Torana, and Commodore platforms in what is now the Supercars Championship. Holden won the Bathurst 1000 a record 36 times between 1968 and 2022, and claimed the Australian Touring Car Championship title 23 times. Following Holden's discontinuation as a brand, from 2023 the Chevrolet Camaro took over as GM's representative in the series.
GM's engines proved successful in the Indy Racing League (IRL) throughout the 1990s, winning races across the small-displacement V8 class. GM also conducted significant work in the development of electronics for racing applications. A notable demonstration of GM's engineering capabilities came when an unmodified Aurora V8 engine, installed in the Aerotech prototype, captured 47 world speed and endurance records, including the record for speed endurance recognised by the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
The Cadillac V-Series has been GM's primary vehicle in sports car racing in more recent years, competing in top-tier endurance categories. GM has also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In November 2024, GM and TWG Global reached an agreement in principle to enter the 2026 Formula One World Championship under the Cadillac name, initially using a Ferrari engine, with plans to enter as an engine supplier at a later date. This marks GM's most significant foray into Formula One as a constructor in the sport's history.
General Motors has a historical link to racing through its origins: in November 1911, company founder William C. Durant co-founded Chevrolet with racing driver Louis Chevrolet, who left the company in 1915 following a disagreement with Durant. This connection between motorsport and the Chevrolet brand has endured throughout GM's history.
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