SVG Drops Startling Verdict on NASCAR’s Next Gen Car’s Lack of Originality

In the world of NASCAR, where speed and strategy intertwine on ovals and road courses, legends are forged by those who conquer the track with finesse and audacity. Recently, the NASCAR-verse witnessed a seismic shift as the seemingly impregnable fortress of homegrown racers was infiltrated by an outsider: Shane van Gisbergen, the Supercars champion from Down Under.

In the heart of Chicago earlier this season, Van Gisbergen etched his name into NASCAR lore. Donning the colors of Trackhouse Racing‘s Project 91, he embarked on a journey to redefine the narrative surrounding outsiders in the sport. Now, racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr has joined the chorus of curiosity surrounding SVG as he appeared on The Dale Jr. Download.

Supercars’ influence: How Next Gen cars bridge the gap between racing worlds

During the recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast, van Gisbergen, who has arrived ahead of this weekend’s race, chatted with Junior and his co-host Mike Davis regarding the Next Gen cars. The 2x Daytona 500 winner asked, “ Everybody says very loosely that the Next Gen car in the Cup Series was built based off of a lot of ideas from the Supercar. How, now that you know them both really well, are they that similar?”

SVG responded, “Yes and no. They’re they are in some parts with the way the chassis is. So you know, it’s the same for everyone. All the components are the same. And the front, rear clips, Yeah, they’re pretty similar in some ways, but the weight of the car is. It’s 300 kilos [661 lbs], I think.”

“I don’t know the conversion, sorry,” he joked, adding, “But it’s so much heavier, the tires much wider and all the downforce underneath with the underbody and whereas ours is on the top with the big wings. So the way they drive and react is very different, especially because of the spool diff we have. Our cars don’t turn, so you’re constantly trying to get turned in them, whereas these cars, it looks like you’re trying to get a rear grip on exit with all the power. So very different.

“But yeah, I guess the overall concept is…similar, yeah.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr acknowledged the seismic shift brought about by van Gisbergen. In an era when road courses have seen NASCAR drivers honing their skills to face the challenge of “road ringers,” SVG’s impact has been monumental. No longer are the outsiders relegated to the periphery, mere supporting actors in the NASCAR narrative. Shane van Gisbergen stormed through the gates of tradition and expectation, creating a spectacle that erased the line between “insider” and “outsider” in a single audacious swoop.

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But this is not the first time Dale Jr has talked about Gisbergen’s entry into the NASCAR world and the impact of Supercars on Next Gen cars.

Dale Earnhardt Jr shares insights on the evolution of NASCAR and Shane van Gisbergen‘s impact

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“Up until SVG dominated Chicago, no one felt like there was a big threat from the outside,” confessed the NASCAR Hall of Famer and the voice of NASCAR on NBC. In his earlier podcast, Junior had reminisced about the days when road course ringers were mere anomalies, normalizing their underperformance. However, SVG’s blistering debut disrupted this equilibrium.

How did SVG manage what others hadn’t? Junior points to the Next Gen car, a revolutionary machine that owes its lineage to the V8 Supercars SVG had mastered. “The V8 Supercar was the closest thing to NASCAR stock cars around the globe, and that got even closer when the next-gen car was built,” Dale Jr explained. This kinship made SVG’s transition smoother, setting the stage for his triumph.

Yet, there’s a looming twist in this tale. As SVG gears up for the road race in Indianapolis, pressure is mounting on his capable shoulders. The shadow of his Chicago victory stretches long, and expectations now ride shotgun. The talk of his potential full-time seat in the 2024 Cup Series has left him with no room for complacency. “He needs to go to Indy, lead laps, and challenge for the win,” warned Junior. A top-5 finish wouldn’t cut it; SVG needs to prove he’s no flash in the pan.

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The Indianapolis race becomes a crucible of SVG’s mettle. Here, he must quell any whispers of beginner’s luck and reaffirm that his triumph wasn’t a mere fluke. The circuit’s storied history and unforgiving twists demand nothing less than his A-game. Can SVG transform from an outsider to an insatiable contender?