Toyota->ke88 joined the NASCAR->ke3635 series in 2004, putting an end to a 44-year period in which the sport was restricted to American car makers. The Japanese automaker entered the truck->ke1311 series with the Tundra->ke485 at first, but it joined the top-tier Sprint Cup Series with the Camry->ke246 three years later. Although it has yet to win a championship in seven years as of 2014, the Camry has become increasingly competitive since its introduction, scoring many wins and attracting major teams and drivers. Toyota managed to finish the 2013 season in second place, ending the series above Ford->ke31 and below Chevrolet->ke199 with 14 wins out of 36 starts. You've gotta hand it to Toyota as it was only a few points away from becoming the first non-U.S. automaker to win the Sprint Cup since the series' formation in 1949. As we get closer to the 2015 season, the Japanese manufacturer is introducing an update to the Camry race car,->ke148 which follows a facelift launched for the road-legal sedan,->ke142 the best-selling car in America for 12 straight years.

Naturally, the purpose of this update is to transfer the looks of the refreshed 2015 Camry onto the NASCAR track, and it brings no drivetrain improvements whatsoever, as all Gen-6 NASCAR models are built on the same underpinnings. Read on to find out what makes the 2015 Camry race car different when compared to its predecessor.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Toyota Camry NASCAR Race Car.

Exterior

One quick peek at the race car's front end reveals the most important changes TRD and Toyota's Calty Design center have operated on the sedan. The 2015 Camry's new face was essentially slapped on the lightweight NASCAR body, with the large, trapezoidal gaping mouth giving the oval track Camry a much more aggressive appearance. The front grille, headlamps and daytime running lights of the road car were also painted on the body. The race car bears a lesser resemblance to the production sedan around back, but the new taillights and the chrome trim between them are present on the shell.

Drivetrain

The Drivertrain of the Toyota Camry NASCAR race car carries over unchanged for the 2015 season. The body is bolted onto the same steel tube frame introduced with the Gen-6 model in 2012 and hides a 5.86-liter pushrod V-8 engine connected to a four-speed manual transmission. The current mills generate about 865 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque.

Competitors

Ford Fusion NASCAR

The Ford Fusion has been racing in the Sprint Cup in its current form since the 2013 season. The racer was unveiled at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, alongside the production sedan, following a tradition that dates back to 1968. Not surprising, the recipe is very similar to what Toyota did with the Camry. Although the NASCAR-spec Fusion boasts an aggressive stance and a coupe-like shell, it keeps the proportions found in the production car.

The new Fusion's first Sprint Cup season wasn't quite successful, as Ford finished last in the manufacturer's championship, with only six wins to its name. Things got better in 2014, where the Blue Oval is still fighting for the title with Chevrolet with five events to go as of 10/13/2014. Five teams running on a complete NASCAR schedule are using Ford Fusions for the 2014 season.

Chevrolet SS NASCAR

The SS NACAR racer was also unveiled for the 2013 season, but, unlike Ford, Chevy chose to introduce the track car before its road-legal counterpart. The SS debuted to a Sprint Unlimited non-championship race win in its first outing, while Jimmie Johnson gave it a winning debut at the 2013 Daytona 500. The SS went on to win the manufacturers' title in 2013 by clinching 16 trophies in 36 events.

The Chevy SS returned for the 2014 championship as the vehicle of choice of no less than 11 teams, more than Ford and Toyota put together. As a result, Chevrolet is on its way to yet another manufacturers' title, leading the standing with 16 race wins with five events left until the season closes.