Failing to appease fans and drivers alike on its short tracks, NASCAR has struggled with the Next Gen car’s short-track package. Having made changes to the rear spoiler and underbody earlier this year, NASCAR achieved a 30% reduction in downforce. Although the change was significant on paper, in reality, drivers still struggled to tame the car, complaining that the difference was negligible. 

After fabricating a new short-track-specific aerodynamics package from scratch, NASCAR has decided to test the new bundle at New Hampshire after the conclusion of the Crayon 301 Cup Series race. NASCAR has even handpicked six drivers who will be partaking in the test. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr shared his thoughts on Kevin Harvick not being among the selected few.

Dale Earnhardt Jr reveals why Kevin Harvick would be the perfect test candidate

While most teams and drivers will head home post the Crayon 301 race on Monday, NASCAR’s handpicked driver group will stay back on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway grounds, and assist with the test. Comprising the six-driver test group will be William Byron, Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Harrison Burton, and Erik Jones. The drivers will be testing out a new aero package that consists of a newly designed front splitter, which will apparently work wonders on NASCAR’s short tracks.

Speaking on his Dale Jr Download podcast, Dale Jr revealed why the soon-to-retire NASCAR legend, Kevin Harvick would have been the perfect choice for the New Hampshire test. Keeping in mind how Harvick is retiring post the 2023 season and NASCAR’s new aerodynamics package wouldn’t be implemented till the 2024 season gets underway, Junior said, “(Kevin) Harvick, you know he’s going out. No, think about it Mike, he’s on his way out. He doesn’t, he won’t have an agenda right? Harvick would have been perfect for this because he’s going to be thinking about the objective at hand for this particular test, right, what they really need to achieve.”

“And he might also be able to corral the guys that are there to keep them on task right? ‘Guys we need to make sure this is what we’re trying to accomplish here’, and I’ll tell you man there it’s a big, it’s a heavy responsibility, just something for everybody to keep their eye on”, Dale Jr further added.

With the test slated to be held on Monday, NASCAR’s senior VP of competition, Elton Sawyer believes the new aerodynamics package is a step in the right direction.

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What did Elton Sawyer say about the new aero package?

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As the earlier tweaks to the Next Gen car failed to bear fruit, NASCAR put on its hat of ideas and commenced rigorous testing in the wind tunnels. Singling out the major area to make adjustments to, NASCAR’s R&D team fabricated a new front splitter which would aid in better handling at NASCAR’s short tracks.

Happy with the advancements made at NASCAR’s R&D center, Elton Sawyer in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR radio said, “So, our aero guys over here at the R&D Center, Dr. Eric Jacuzzi and his team, they’ve done some great work in the wind tunnel and they were in the wind tunnel again just to make sure what they believe is going to be a really good package that we’re going to test at New Hampshire will lead us in a direction that will give us some really great short track racing.”

Will the new aerodynamic package put an end to the speculations of NASCAR’s short tracks being killed off? Stay connected to find out.

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