NASCAR‘s push of the seventh-generation Cup Series car has expanded into the toy world. On Wednesday, the LEGO Group launched the newest line of LEGO Technic products which includes the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Besides being available for consumers, the LEGO Next Gen will be available at the NASCAR KidZone located in the infield of speedways owned by NASCAR via International Speedway Corporation. Such tracks include Auto Club Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Watkins Glen International. Auto Club attendees last weekend got to try out the car prior to its release to the public.
“The LEGO Group is one of the most iconic toy brands in the world and we’re thrilled to work with them through this collaboration to engage the next generation of fans,” said Megan Malayter, NASCAR managing director of licensing and consumer products. “The LEGO Technic line also helps foster interest in the world of engineering, which is a critical part of our sport and an important aspect of our fan development efforts.”
While LEGO already has a Camaro ZL1 as part of its Speed Champions brand, it is a separate deal with Chevrolet rather than NASCAR. Furthermore, the LEGO Technic line is intended for advanced models with more robust parts and functions that are not included in a traditional LEGO set such as gears and motors. Multiple race cars have been featured in the Technic line such as the Porsche 911 GT3 and most recently the McLaren Formula One MCL35M.
The Technic Camaro features a #75 livery in celebration of NASCAR’s seventy-fifth anniversary. Its Technic features include a V8 engine with moving pistons and various working components akin to a real-life stock car.
Since the Next Gen’s competition début in 2022 as a vehicle capable of more versatile racing than its predecessors, NASCAR has been eager to showcase it outside its usual confines. Most notably, a modified Next Gen Camaro will race the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
