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Ford has unveiled the new Mustang body it will race in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, and Joey Logano says building it came down to tradeoffs.
The new car is based on the Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC. Speaking with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Daytona Beach, the Team Penske driver said drivers and crew chiefs told the designers what mattered most on track.
“I mean, I think what my involvement was to say, Hey, what do we need on the racetrack? What are the things that are most important from a downforce perspective, from a center of pressure perspective, and track? Like, what are we willing to give? Because you can’t just have it all. Right?” Logano said.
https://x.com/bobpockrass/status/2120658184213757970
“So those type of things are where the drivers and the crew chiefs are going to put their input in. And then it’s up to the aero designers and engineers to be able to come up with making it look right, to where it looks like the street vehicle, but also has that performance where we’re looking for.”
What’s New on the 2027 Mustang
The new body features a more aggressive nose meant to improve aerodynamics and add downforce. It also has reshaped headlight surrounds, lower grille openings with smoother contours, new lower bumper corners and reshaped front fenders.
The car still falls under NASCAR’s Next Gen rules, so the changes are to the body.
“Our team of race engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford designers to create a car that not only holds true to Mustang’s unique appearance but lives up to its heritage as a car that was born to race,” Ford Racing global director Mark Rushbrook said. “We believe this car will put us in a position to win a lot of races and championships in the years ahead.”
Why Ford Needed Speed
Ford teams struggled for speed at intermediate tracks in 2026. Earlier this year, Ryan Blaney‘s crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, said, “The intermediate package, the mile-and-a-halfs, the bigger tracks, that’s definitely been a struggle of ours.”
Ford’s Cup teams are Team Penske, RFK Racing, Front Row Motorsports and the Wood Brothers. Penske won seven races in 2026, and Ryan Preece won for RFK at Daytona in August.
Logano and Blaney on the New Car
“I’ve said this ever since Ford brought Mustang into the Cup Series and nothing since then has changed my mind. We have the best-looking car on the track, hands down, and Ford Racing has worked to make it one of the fastest too,” Logano said in Ford’s announcement. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this new Mustang at Daytona.”
“All of us want to be the first one to win a race in this new Mustang, and I’m no different,” Blaney said. “I’ve been pretty fortunate that throughout my Cup career the only car I’ve ever driven is a Ford, and I’m proud of that. Ford does a great job of designing race cars that give us the best chance to win, and I can’t think of a better way to get started than by winning the Daytona 500.”
The new Mustang is set to hit the track during Speedweeks at Daytona, which opens with the Clash on Feb. 13, ahead of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.
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