It is no secret how the introduction of the next-generation car has divided opinions. While it has certainly helped in creating a more competitive environment, the type of racing witnessed hasn’t been the most entertaining. With Denny Hamlin repeatedly criticizing the Gen-7 car, he recently revealed the astonishing cost of building a Next-Gen car.

Fortunately for Hamlin, he’s had the luxury of being both a driver and a team owner. It is certainly a tricky task for him, especially considering the dynamics around the Gen-7 car. His recent insights about the car have been eye-opening in plenty of ways.

Denny Hamlin discloses the true figure behind building a Next-Gen NASCAR car

It has been two years now since the Next-Gen cars were introduced to the NASCAR world. Since then, a lot has happened on the track. With an ambition to create a level playing field for each team, it achieved success right away, with 19 winners in 2022.

Unsurprisingly, it tied the all-time record for most winners in a season last accomplished in 2001. Not only that, but it also helped five drivers with their debut victories.

The Gen-7 car witnessed Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick, Austin Cindric, and Chase Briscoe register their first-ever Cup Series win in 2022.  In fact, it also helped drivers struggling with a win for a long time.

It is safe to say that the surprises have continued in the 2023 campaign. With Bubba Wallace qualifying for the playoffs being one of the highlights of the season, the Next-Gen car has shown its positive side once again. Having said that, viewership has certainly taken a big hit in the last two years.

While this has been a downside, what Denny Hamlin had to say recently looks concerning. As per the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, when the Gen-7 car was about to be introduced, its expected price was supposed to be around $225,000. However, what has turned out to be the final figure is quite shocking.

Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast “Actions Detrimental”, Hamlin delves deep into the financials of the Next-Gen car. He said, “I think, all in right now. Now, this is a rough estimate, but I think it’s closer to accurate than not. The next-gen car is probably all in with the parts pieces and all the other stuff you have to purchase to actually make it roll and a driver sit in it.”

It is then that he revealed the actual price of the car. Hamlin said, “We’re probably around $350,000. We’re racing Lambos out there.” Certainly, purchasing a Lamborghini looks cheaper in this case. So how is it costing this much? Let’s take a deeper look at it.

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Breaking down the cost of a NASCAR Cup Series race car

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There is no doubt that building a NASCAR Cup Series car doesn’t come cheap. From what Denny Hamlin said, it explains how tricky it gets for every team. With the Next-Gen car in use, it only gets dicey as a single-source supplier is involved. As per Flowracers.com, a rough idea of how the components cost can be determined, showing how it adds up to the approximate figure of $350,000.

The heart of the car has to be the engine used. When it comes to the cost of an engine, it varies from $60,000 to $150,000. While some manufacturers produce it in-house, others outsource it.

Next up are the tires, which come from Goodyear in this case. Per tire, the cost goes from around $350 to $500. While initially only four tires are considered, the number of pit stops and tire changes remains a subjective matter. On the other hand, a NASCAR car chassis is supposed to cost around $70,000 to $120,000. Of course, this is considering all these components are manufactured to comply with the competition’s specifications.

It is worth noting that while all these are tentative figures, they give a reasonable idea of how a single-source supplier could turn out to be problematic in this case. As the negotiation power is lost along with the unsaid dependency, the prices are only bound to increase. Should NASCAR bring in some changes in this regard? Let us know in the comments below.

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