With the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs complete, now is a good time to evaluate the impact of the Next Gen car. The last two months in particular have tested the new Cup Series car on some of the most unique tracks on the circuit. The good news is that the Next Gen car has passed several of those tests with flying colors. Intermediate tracks have surprisingly produced some of the best races of 2022, and parity among race winners has continued into the playoffs.
However, this car is still very much a work in progress. While NASCAR and the teams can celebrate its successes, both parties must cooperate to address the notable drawbacks of the Next Gen car before the green flag drops on the 2023 season.
One of those successes has to be the historically high number of drivers who have visited victory lane this year. By winning at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chris Buescher became the 19th different driver to score a victory in 2022. That ties the modern era record set in 2001, and in that year it took all the way until the final race of the season to hit 19 winners. The 2022 season still has seven races to go, and plenty of opportunity remains for drivers who are winless to capture a checkered flag.
Even the commencement of the playoffs has not put a stop to the parade of surprising faces in victory lane. Buescher’s triumph capped off a round of 16 that also saw Erik Jones and Bubba Wallace finish first. None of those three made the playoffs or had won a points-paying race until the postseason. Their wins are a remarkable achievement when you consider that the playoff field contains half of the 32 full-time racers, and that all of those playoff drivers would theoretically be bringing their best equipment to the track with a championship on the line. Thanks to the Next Gen car, parity reigns supreme in 2022.
Fans should also be excited about the compelling racing that the Next Gen car has produced on high speed, high downforce intermediate tracks. The best example so far this season is the Coca-Cola 600. For most of the 2010s, NASCAR’s longest race felt more like a watching a parade than a competition. With aero sensitivity getting so bad at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it’s no wonder that NASCAR moved CMS’ fall race to the infield ROVAL.
However, this year’s Coke 600 was among the best events of 2022. Drivers with faster cars were actually able to move through the field instead of getting stalled out in dirty air. Closer competition…
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