Mustang Moves Up to Top NASCAR Series

Ford Motor Co. is shifting gears in NASCAR’s top Monster Energy Cup series, where it will retire the Fusion sedan from competition and replace it with the Mustang coupe at the start of next season.

The Mustang will compete against the Chevrolet Camaro ZL 1 and Toyota Camry. General Motors switched to the Camaro this year after a five-year run with the Australian-built Chevy SS, which was discontinued last year. Fiat Chrysler’s Dodge brand also is said to be evaluating a return to NASCAR, which the carmaker left in 2012 amid financial constraints.

Toyota leads Ford by six points through the first eight races of the 2018 season. Chevy trails Ford by 24 points.

Next year will be the first time a Mustang has competed in NASCAR's top series. But Ford has raced the iconic pony car in NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series since 2011.

Last year Ford sold 125,800 Mustang coupes and convertibles worldwide. Two-thirds of the volume came from the U.S.