The Next-Gen car has been highly successful on NASCAR’s smooth ovals. While they perform exceptionally well on intermediate ovals, superspeedways, road courses, and even the newly added street circuit, NASCAR’s short tracks have been the Achilles heel of the Next-Gen cars. Unable to extract the desired performance from their machines, many drivers have regularly voiced their racing struggles in the short-track format.

An advocate for the short-track format of racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr fears the Next-Gen car’s struggles may kill off NASCAR’s short tracks. Believing that the future of short-track racing now depends on the new generation of drivers, Dale Jr has passed on the torch to Hendrick Motorsports’s best driver.

Dale Earnhardt Jr Banking on HMS Star to Save Short Tracks

In a bid to improve the performance of its Next-Gen car on short tracks, NASCAR introduced a short-track-specific aerodynamic package earlier this year. Reducing the rear spoiler to two inches from the previous four-inch, several other adjustments were made underneath the Next-Gen cars. This resulted in the downforce being reduced by up to 30%. Yet these changes failed to appease drivers, who complained of poor performance on short tracks. Forced to go back to the drawing board, NASCAR decided to further tweak the Next-Gen car. 

Having cooked up an improved aerodynamics package, NASCAR has decided to test the new changes at New Hampshire post the upcoming 2023 Crayon 301 Cup Series race. Following the news of the test, Dale Earnhardt Jr on his Dale Jr Download podcast said, “We’re going to New Hampshire this weekend to race. But that might not be the most important days of the week for New Hampshire. Monday and Tuesday, a handful of drivers are staying back after the Cup Series race is over, and they’re going to test a new short-track package. I think William Byron, Ryan Preece, Christopher Bell, a couple other guys are going to be testing this package together.”

Revealing how he passed on the torch to HMS’ best driver, Junior said, “It’s about six guys, and I said, ‘Hey, the future of short track racing and big league stock cars is on y’all’s shoulders. If y’all don’t come out of here with an answer, we’re scr*wed’.”

“We are, so, no matter what they find, even if they get, even if they find what they believe to be the Holy Grail, the answer to short track racing with the Next-Gen car, even if they find it Mike, the parts and pieces that are made by the single suppliers will not be made and developed in enough bulk to be able to give to all the teams until next year,” Dale Jr added.

As changes to the underneath of the car and rear spoiler failed to generate the desired results, NASCAR has now shifted its focus to other aspects of the car.

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What Are the Changes in NASCAR’s Short-Track Package?

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Turning its focus to the front fascia of the Next-Gen car, NASCAR’s new aerodynamic package for the short track revolves around the front splitter. Post the conclusion of the Crayon 301 race, drivers will test out the changes brought about by a newly designed front splitter. 

Tire manufacturing giant Goodyear will also partake in the test event, studying the uses of various tire compounds to extract better performance. William Byron, Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Harrison Burton, and Erik Jones will form the six-driver group to test out the changes at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

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While Dale Jr awaits the new-generation drivers to deliver positive feedback, the future of NASCAR’s short tracks remains shrouded in mystery.