The Next-Gen car that will officially make its debut in 2022 is going through extensive testing currently. However, as the teams are exploring the new car, they’re finding more negatives than positives. So much so that drivers, teams, and pit crews have in some ways spoken against the new car from NASCAR.
So, this led to a rumor floating around online. That NASCAR has asked teams to keep a handful of the outgoing Gen 6 cars, maybe as a reserve.
This is what a Twitter user asked the reputed NASCAR journalist, Bob Pockrass – “Hey Bob can you confirm that each race team has been asked to keep a handful of Gen6 cars??”
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Pockrass replied that he has spoken to members of a NASCAR team and executives about this, and they all confirmed that it’s not true. The plan still is, ‘to use Next Gen for all races next year.’
Just texted with three people who would know (one from NASCAR and two team executives) if teams have been told to keep a handful of Gen 6 cars and told by all three that is not true. Plan is to use Next Gen for all races next year. https://t.co/WhgFTVFWiv
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 29, 2021
Another rumor that Pockrass responded to was of whether NASCAR has been testing the 750bhp Next Gen cars.
Pockrass replied, “NASCAR will do a three-car test next week at charlotte to experiment with some changes to the intermediate package and then an organization test the following week. SHR tried a 670hp package late in the test last month (and had the fast times). What they will test is TBD.”
Big names from NASCAR critical of the Next-Gen car
Denny Hamlin recently described how fans would have to lower their expectations if the state of the car remains the same in February. He explained how the aerodynamics that generates the downforce, the quality control, and the entire package is far from ideal if the goal is close racing.
“There are going to be some races where someone just fucking kicks everyone’s ass,” Hamlin had said.
Another big name from NASCAR, 2020 Cup Series winner, Chase Elliott, also had a similar stance for close pack racing. He described that the car in front will have an advantage ‘unless we defy physics’.
“I feel like it would be good to learn and kind of see, but I feel like we kinda know what it’s gonna be, I mean unless we defy physics, the guy out front is going to have an advantage,” Elliott said.
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It seems as though NASCAR may have to come out with an official statement or press release. Because the rumors floating around the internet and the drivers’ honest assessment of the ‘future of NASCAR’, isn’t really helping their case.
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Or the best option would be; fix the car.
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