Chevrolet stuns fans with emotional Christmas ad, cements NASCAR legacy
Chevrolet closed out the holidays with an emotional TV spot that quickly went viral. The ad follows a couple driving their 1987 Chevy Suburban through familiar roads, reflecting on years of family trips as their children grow up and start families of their own. The final reveal — the couple arriving at their children’s home as grandparents — and the tagline, “The greatest journey is the one we take together,” leaned into nostalgia and the Suburban’s reputation for reliability. Sports journalist Marty Smith summed up the reaction on social media: “Chevy won Christmas.”
Beyond the sentimental storytelling, the commercial served as a reminder of Chevrolet’s broader cultural and motorsports footprint. Fans pointed out the brand’s knack for stirring emotion in recent holiday campaigns, and the spot also reinforced the message of durability by spotlighting the same vehicle across decades. That blend of sentiment and product positioning helped the clip connect with viewers across generations.
Chevrolet’s prominence in NASCAR mirrors its broader standing in American automotive culture. Though Ford raced in NASCAR from the sport’s earliest days, Chevrolet officially entered the premier stock-car series in 1949 and steadily became the benchmark manufacturer. A major turning point arrived in 1984, when Chevy forged a close partnership with Rick Hendrick’s Hendrick Motorsports. That alliance — combined with manufacturer support, stronger engines, and a strategy of allowing semi-factory team programs — helped Chevrolet share technology and grow deep ties with top teams. By the 1970s most leading outfits were running Chevy cars, and Hendrick’s rise with drivers like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson drove further championship success.
The numbers underline Chevrolet’s dominance: as of 2025, Chevy has accumulated 83 championships across NASCAR’s three national series, a wide margin over Ford’s 23 and Toyota’s 21. That legacy of sustained investment in motorsports, paired with high-profile advertising that taps into Americana, keeps Chevrolet prominent both on track and in popular culture.
Latest News
