List of eligible models that never ran (Start Your Engines!)

The following is a list of car models that were eligible to run in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1987, but never did. They may have been run in other series, however.
== Eligible models ==
Company 	Marquee 	Model 	Years Eligible 	Notes
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Cavalier 	1982-2008 	Also eligible in Whelen Modified Tour, where it still runs
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Celebrity 	1981-1993 	
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Corsica 	1987-1999 	Ran in Busch East Series 1990-1994
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Nova 	1984-1991 	Ran in Busch Series 1984-1988
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Impala 	1994-1999, 2005-2008	Seventh and eighth-generation models were eligible, but never ran; ninth-generation model ran in Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series competition 2009-2012
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Caprice 	1965-1999 	Ran in Goody's Dash Series 1986-1993
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Corvette (various types)	1955-present 	Several teams have attempted to adapt the Corvette to NASCAR standards, but all have been rejected by NASCAR due to not conforming to any template
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Malibu 	1997-present 	Third and fourth-generation model ran in Cup Series 1973-1982
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Cobalt 	2005-2010 	
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	Cruze 	2008-present 	Almost ran with the advent of the New Body Program in 2013, getting as far as a Cruze being tested by Tommy Baldwin Racing at Preseason Testing, but ultimately, the team elected to fall in line and use the SS
General Motors 	Pontiac 	LeMans 	1988-1997 	Sixth generation model never ran in NASCAR; fifth-generation model was run in the Winston Cup Series in the 1970s, as late as 1983
General Motors 	Pontiac 	Sunbird/J2000 	1981-1991 	Also eligible in the Whelen Modified Tour
General Motors 	Pontiac 	Grand Am 	1984-2006 	Third, fourth, and fifth-generation models never ran in NASCAR; second-generation model briefly popped up in the Winston Cup Series in 1979, if Wikipedia is to be believed
General Motors 	Pontiac 	Bonneville 	1987-2008 	
General Motors 	Pontiac 	Firebird 	1967-2005 	Frequently used as a pace car, never turned a lap as a race car despite several efforts over the years; the Trans-Am version finally made its competition debut at the 2019 Daytona 500
General Motors 	Buick 	Skylark 	1975-2001 	
General Motors 	Buick 	Century 	1982-1996 	
General Motors 	Buick 	Skyhawk 	1982-1992 	An effort was made by Stavola Bros. Racing to adapt this model in 1989, but nothing came of it
General Motors 	Buick 	Electra 	1959-1993 	
General Motors 	Buick 	Skylark 	1985-1994 	Ran in Goody's Dash Series 1987-1996
General Motors 	Buick 	Roadmaster 	1991-1999 	
General Motors 	Buick 	Regal 	1997-present 	Surprisingly, despite pulling out in 1991, Buick never actually closed its NASCAR program, continuing to create and submit race versions of the Regal that were approved by NASCAR, but no team ever used; with the discontinuation of all sedan models outside of China in 2020, and with few viable coupes, Buick finally closed its NASCAR program for good
General Motors 	Buick 	LaCrosse 	2013-2020 	
General Motors 	Oldsmobile	98 	1985-1999 	
General Motors 	Oldsmobile	Toronado 	1966-1995 	
General Motors 	Oldsmobile	Achieva 	1991-2001 	Like Buick, Oldsmobile never actually closed its NASCAR program, which was how the Alero competed in 1997-1998, mainly because Alero sheetmetal happened to be the cheapest for the new SAFER Car (though Oldsmobile reiterated in documentation that they wanted nothing to do with engine development)
General Motors 	Oldsmobile	Intrigue 	1998-2005 	There was much debate as to whether this was the identity of the Aleros that ran in 1997-1998
General Motors 	Cadillac 	CTS 	2018-2023 	Cadillac began designing bodies for NASCAR competition in the wake of their IMSA success; to date, there have been no takers
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	Escort 	1980-2006 	Ford heavily pushed for teams to run this model; the closest it came to doing so was when Bud Moore Engineering tested it in 1990, but found the Thunderbird faster
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	Tempo 	1983-1997 	
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	Contour 	1995-2003 	Ran in Goody's Dash Series 1997-2000
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	Taurus 	2008-present 	Despite being replaced by the Fusion in 2006, Ford created a new version of the Taurus that it made available to teams after its 2008 reintroduction, even to the models bitter end in 2019
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	EXP 	1982-1991 	Ran in the Goody's Dash Series 1984-1993
Ford Motor Company 	Ford 	Probe 	1989-2000 	Ford created a NASCAR version in response to the Chevrolet Lumina; the model ultimately never ran due to all Ford teams being dedicated to the Thunderbird
Ford Motor Company 	Mercury 	Grand Marquis 	1992-2002 	
Ford Motor Company 	Mercury 	Tracer 	1988-2002 	Mercury attempted to break back into NASCAR with the Tracer in 1988; it ultimately took until 1994 for them to make a comeback with the Cougar
Ford Motor Company 	Lincoln 	Town Car 	1998-2011 	
Ford Motor Company 	Lincoln 	LS 	1999-2009 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	600 	1987-1990 	Actually ran most of the 1987 Winston Cup Series with Pacific Coast Racing as an interim car until the Chrysler LeBaron could debut in 1988; several Busch Series teams ran this model in 1988 and 1989
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Shadow 	1988-1997 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Stealth 	1990-1999 	Also eligible in the Whelen Modified Tour, where it still runs
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Avenger 	2007-2010 	The original coupe ran in the Winston Cup Series in 1997-1998, before being replaced by the Intrepid in 1999; Dodge marketed the sedan as a viable short track car, but no teams bought any Avenger sheetmetal
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Monaco 	1990-1995 	Marketed to teams as a viable short track car, this model was a staple in the Goody's Dash Series in the mid-90s
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Stratus 	1995-2009 	This is still being hotly debated in the NASCAR community, as technically, the Stratus DID run in the Nextel Cup and Busch Series between 2004-2006; however, only Pacific Coast Racing referred to it as such (Penske and Evernham also eventually adopted the term), as Dodge wouldn't specify the model, and NASCAR referred to it as an Intrepid, which was Dodge's model from 1999-2003; as of 2020, the debate rages on
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Dynasty 	1988-1996 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	Neon 	1993-2008 	This model will be used in the revived Dash Series starting in 2021
Chrysler Corporation 	Dodge 	SRT-4 	2003-2008 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Chrysler 	Imperial 	1990-1996 	The sixth generation model ran in the Winston Cup Series from 1981-1985
Chrysler Corporation 	Chrysler 	Concorde 	1993-2007 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Chrysler 	LHS 	1994-2004 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Chrysler 	Cirrus 	1995-2003 	Chrysler referred to their Winston Cup Series entry from 1995-1996 as the Cirrus, but in truth, these cars still used LeBaron sheetmetal; actual Cirrus sheetmetal was never run
Chrysler Corporation 	Chrysler 	300 	2005-present 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Plymouth 	Acclaim 	1989-1998 	
Chrysler Corporation 	Plymouth 	Sundance 	1989-1997 	Also eligible in Whelen Modified Tour, where it still runs
Chrysler Corporation 	Plymouth 	Laser 	1989-1997 	Also eligible in Whelen Modified Tour, where it still runs
Chrysler Corporation 	Plymouth 	Breeze 	1996-2003 	
Toyota Motor Corporation	Toyota 	Corolla 	2007-present 	Although the Camry is the primary model used in the Cup Series, Toyota also developed several other models for possible use in NASCAR; none have been accepted by any teams to date, though they have seen use in regional and local stock car leagues such as CRA and CARS have used these models
Toyota Motor Corporation	Toyota 	Celica 	2000-present 	Once Toyota entered the Goody's Dash Series, the floodgates for further involvement in NASCAR opened, and to that end, in 2000, Toyota designed a NASCAR-legal Celica; its eligibility came and went without no teams picking it up, not even when Toyota formally entered the Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series in 2007
Toyota Motor Corporation	Toyota 	Avalon 	2007-present 	Toyota has, since 2007, been constantly designing and updating NASCAR-legal versions of the Avalon
Toyota Motor Corporation	Toyota 	86 	2012-present 	This model will be run in the revived Dash Series starting in 2021
Toyota Motor Corporation	Toyota 	Supra 	2019-2020 	When the Supra was reintroduced in 2019, Toyota heavily pushed for Joe Gibbs Racing to adopt it; while there were initially no takers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, 99% of Xfinity Series teams signed with Toyota eagerly adopted the Muscle Body version; with the advent of the "New Body Program II" in 2021, Toyota will withdraw the Camry from the Cup Series to force all of their Cup teams to use the Supra, though after Joe Gibbs threatened to go back to Pontiac, Toyota relented and allowed the Camry to remain eligible
Toyota Motor Corporation	Lexus 	GS 	2007-present 	When Toyota entered the Nextel Cup and Busch Series in 2007, they also made Lexus models eligible; Toyota teams balked at the idea of tearing up luxury cars, yet Lexus still designs NASCAR-legal cars every year
Toyota Motor Corporation	Lexus 	LS 	2007-present 	
Toyota Motor Corporation	Lexus 	ES 	2007-present 	
Toyota Motor Corporation	Lexus 	IS 	2007-present 	
Honda Motor Company 	Honda 	Insight 	2018-present 	Despite mainly fielding the Accord and Civic across the Cup and Xfinity Series, the Insight is also an eligible model
Honda Motor Company 	Acura 	TLX 	2015-present 	
Honda Motor Company 	Acura 	RLX 	2015-2020 	
Honda Motor Company 	Acura 	ILX 	2015-present 	
Mazda Motor Corporation 	Mazda 	MX-5 Miata 	2017-present 	After finding success in the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, Mazda attempted to break into the Cup Series in 2017; as of yet, there are no takers, but they're not giving up, having designed a NASCAR-legal version of the MX-5 to the specifications of the New Body Program II; Mazda finally managed to break into American NASCAR in 2021 when a team in the newly-revived Dash Series announced they would be using a Mazda Miata, possibly planting the seeds for a run in the Cup and Xfinity Series
Category:Start Your Engines!