NASCAR insider gives his insight into Super Bowl headliner Kendrick Lamar’s “authentic” American muscle car

Kendrick Lamar headlined the Super Bowl LIX half-time show, making a grand entrance while sitting atop what appeared to be a rare Buick GNX—a car with roots tracing back to NASCAR. Racing mechanic and content creator Bozi Tatarevic provided detailed insights into the GNX and the specific car Lamar showcased on stage.

The GNX’s story traces back to Darrell Waltrip’s championship wins with factory-backed Buick Regals in 1981 and 1982. To celebrate this success, the manufacturer introduced the first Regal Grand National, which evolved into the iconic GNX model in 1987.

The GNX (Grand National Experimental) and its predecessors were named after NASCAR’s former top-level series, the Grand National Series. The GNX model boasted 276 horsepower and was capable of beating a Ferrari F40 in a quarter-mile drag race, reaching 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds.

Only 547 GNX models were ever built, each receiving upgrades at American Specialty Cars (ASC) McLaren Performance Technologies. Kendrick Lamar purchased an authentic 1987 Buick GNX last year, bearing serial number 191.

Bozi Tatarevic wrote on X:

"Kendrick Lamar owns an authentic 1987 Buick GNX...GNX stands for Grand National Experimental and only 547 were built. Kendrick owns number 191...He is deeply ingrained in Grand National lore and has even mentioned internal GM build codes for the GNX in the past."

Tatarevic also highlighted Lamar's deep appreciation for the Buick GNX, noting that the superstar referenced its factory code, T2L, when announcing his purchase of the rare American muscle car.

"From a post announcing the purchase of his GNX:"make you realize the only thing that matters in life is that original paper work. that TL2 code"..T2L was an internal GM RPO code that marked a Grand National destined to be turned into a GNX," Tatarevic wrote.

The 1987 Buick GNX remains a revered classic among motorheads, with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. calling it his dream car after seeing it featured in the Super Bowl.

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NASCAR Insider reveals real car used by Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl LIX

Bozi Tatarevic explained that Kendrick Lamar used a Buick Grand National which was modified to appear like a tribute GNX model. He pointed out that the difference in wheel size made it evident that it wasn’t an authentic GNX.

He also revealed that Riverside, California-based Effortless Motors supplied the Grand National model to a staging company, which modified it to include passages for dancers to emerge from the car during the half-time show.

"The car that Kendrick Lamar used on stage last night at the Super Bowl half time show is a real Buick Grand National," he wrote.

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl appearance has created a buzz among motorheads and enthusiasts of American muscle car history.