Just a day after celebrating the creation of 10 million Mustangs, Ford Performance peeled the camo and the cover off its forthcoming 2019 Mustang NASCAR Cup racer. All of the company’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers were on hand for the big reveal at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.

We can’t wait to see it winning races in the NASCAR Cup Series next year. — Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance

“Mustang has raced since it was first sold in 1964,” Ford’s executive vice president, Product Development and Purchasing, Hau Thai-Tang said “After more than a half-century, it feels great to finally let Mustang run in the top echelon of America’s most popular stock car racing series.”

While the Mustang has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity series since 2011, moving the pony car to the top-tier class presented a styling challenge. Ford’s mainstream designers teamed with Ford Performance to transfer the essential Mustang personality to a body that works within the stringent NASCAR rulebook.

“Ever since we announced in April that Mustang would be going to the Cup level in 2019, we’ve heard nothing but positive feedback,” Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports, said. “Our Ford Performance team has worked hard with the Ford Design team to create a Mustang that will be competitive on the track while remaining true to its proud heritage. We can’t wait to see it winning races in the NASCAR Cup Series next year.”

Look for the Mustang to make its competitive NASCAR debut at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, 2019.