Over the last two decades, there has been a drastic shift in manufacturer choices among teams. It’s really a Ford vs. Toyota situation in NASCAR, as teams look for the best fit for them. However, Chevrolet has the most dominant cars in the sport. And the choice of manufacturers remains pivotal in NASCAR. Many teams have switched manufacturers over the years, and that has heavily impacted their performance. Who will ever forget how Richard Petty Motorsports ended its partnership with Ford to work with Chevrolet in 2018? Similarly, there have been many more changes that now shape the 2024 season.

In the relationship between a team and a manufacturer in NASCAR, loyalty is a huge factor. Teams often spend decades with a manufacturer, building on their ideas to be able to stay ahead in the game. It’s clear that, in America, NASCAR’s influence affects the manufacturer’s sales. Winning more races means selling more cars, and this has always been the case. For companies to stay ahead of the game, they provide as much as they can to help teams win races. But when things don’t work out, teams look out for what’s best for them, and here are a few prime examples.

Major manufacturer changes in NASCAR

For the first 16 seasons, Joe Gibbs Racing was all about General Motors cars—Pontiacs and Chevrolets—winning three championships along the way. Then, in 2008, Joe Gibbs decided to shake things up and switch to Toyota. Toyota was still a newcomer to NASCAR at the time, but they offered JGR a lot of support and resources, which was a big plus. In 2015, Toyota clinched its first Premier Series championship with Kyle Busch behind the wheel, thanks to JGR’s efforts.

Richard Petty Motorsports, on the other hand, dropped a bombshell in 2009 by announcing that they were ditching Dodge for Ford. This shift came with their merger with Yates Racing, which had been a Ford partner for a long time. The whole Dodge-to-Ford switch was a big deal, especially, considering Petty’s long history with Ford dating back to the 1960s. Another team that decided to follow RPM’s path was Team Penske. The team announced that, starting in 2013, they would be swapping out Dodge for Ford. With all the NASCAR manufacturers rolling out new models for 2013, it made sense for Penske to jump ship from Dodge, whose contract was about to end.

Similarly, in February 2016, Stewart-Haas Racing announced a big shift, stating they would switch from Chevrolet to Ford starting in 2017. As the team prepared for the switch, drivers like Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick, and Clint Bowyer were set to race Ford cars for the 2017 season. Joining Ford meant that SHR would be part of a larger Ford group, including teams like Team Penske and Roush Fenway Racing.

In September 2015, Furniture Row Racing announced they’d be switching from Chevrolet to Toyota for the 2016 season. Led by Martin Truex Jr, the team revealed this news at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, along with a new partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing for car frames and Toyota Racing Development for engines. Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) made headlines again in 2018 by announcing a switch from Ford to Chevrolet.

Leavine Family Racing experienced quite a few changes during their time too. Switching from Ford to Chevrolet in 2016 and then to Toyota in 2019, they had quite a journey during their time in NASCAR. Joe Falk’s investment and the alliance with Richard Childress Racing initially drove the team’s switch to Chevrolet. However, in 2019, under Matt DiBenedetto’s driving, they switched to Toyota, forming a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, before sending their run in 2020.

All the manufacturer changes often bring up the question of which one of them has won the most races. So let’s dive in to see the history of manufacturer wins in NASCAR.

Which are the best manufacturers in NASCAR?

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Manufacturers play a decisive role in NASCAR, funding many team operations and helping design the fastest cars. The question is, who is the best manufacturer in NASCAR? We can look at this from two angles: historical and modern. Long ago, NASCAR had a different relationship with its teams and manufacturers.

Today, there are 3 major players in the sport, and with the competition being between just Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford, it is easy to see who is the winner of the most races. For now, we can consider that Toyota is one of the newer units and it does not earn the top spot in NASCAR. However, despite Ford having one of the richest histories in the sport, it is Chevrolet that is leading the charts. As of 2023, Chevrolet has 851 race wins and 42 manufacturer championships.

This makes it one of the most dominant sides in the NASCAR scene, but do you think they have what it takes to win this year’s Cup series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.