The debate over the NASCAR Next-Gen car has been going on since it hit the track in 2022. And it still divides some of the biggest names in the sport. The Gen 7 was built to modernize the Cup Series, introduce independent rear suspension, composite bodies, low-profile tires and a symmetrical chassis. The idea was simple: cut costs, level the playing field and bring the technology up to date.
For some, it’s worked. Supporters say the car has produced closer racing and given more teams a shot at victory. For other,s it’s come at a cost, erasing much of the tire wear, braking differences and strategy that once made NASCAR’s best races so good.
That divide was on full display this week when Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson’s praise for the car ran into Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s blunt criticism on The Dale Jr. Download podcast.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says “The Car Doesn’t Produce the Kind of Racing We’re Capable Of”
Kyle Larson has been one of the Next-Gen cars’ biggest success stories with 16 wins since its debut. This year alone he’s got 3 wins, 14 top-10s, and a pole and is 5th in the Cup Series standings. He says the car feels good and produces good results. Earnhardt though, sees it differently.
“I don’t know, man. I mean, Kyle’s… Kyle has—uh, Kyle… I really, really respect Kyle. Think the world of him. Um, and I appreciate his opinion but I would just disagree that the car doesn’t produce what I expect,” he said.
“Again, going back to 75 years… I know Kyle’s been around a long time. The car doesn’t produce the kind of racing that I know we are capable of at road courses and short tracks,” he continued. “The car does not produce the type of racing that I think should be our standard and I know what we’re capable of at road courses and short tracks. And I would not stop at trying to achieve amazing, great racing at those style of tracks until we achieved it. I wouldn’t stop trying to get there. And I don’t think we’re there. And I think it’s mainly due to the racecar. Right.”
For Dale Earnhardt Jr. it’s not just about results. It’s the style and quality of the racing. He’s been saying the Next-Gen car feels like a sports car not a stock car for years, pointing to the diffuser, wider tires and bigger brakes as reasons why tire wear and strategy are limited.
Larson sees a competitive, fun car. Earnhardt sees a lot of room for improvement—especially at the short tracks and road courses that have always produced the best racing.
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