Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has raised critical concerns about the safety of NASCAR’s Next Gen car, suggesting it represents a regression after teammate Alex Bowman sustained a severe crash. The worry grew after Bowman suffered a concussion in September 2022 at Texas Motor Speedway, prompting Elliott to speak out on the car’s safety issues shortly afterward.
Bowman’s concussion happened when the rear of his car struck a wall, causing him to miss five playoff races before returning for the season finale. Another prominent driver, Kurt Busch, also suffered concussions during rear-end impacts in Next Gen cars at Pocono Raceway in July 2022, ultimately leading to his retirement from NASCAR.
Design and Impact Concerns Surrounding the Next Gen Car
Introduced at the start of the 2022 season after delays from the initially planned 2021 launch, the Next Gen car was initially celebrated for its ability to reduce costs, promote competitive balance, and implement fresh design concepts. However, the car’s rigid rear structure caused more impact force to be absorbed by the drivers themselves during crashes, raising serious safety concerns among drivers and teams.
Chase Elliott Criticizes NASCAR’s Response and Calls for Immediate Improvements
Elliott has expressed strong frustration toward NASCAR for failing to address these safety problems despite ample testing time. The delays caused by COVID-19 gave teams an additional year to refine and test the vehicle. Yet Elliott insists this has not translated into improved safety measures, emphasizing the unacceptable risks involved.
“These types of incidents that result in injuries. … I’m not a doctor, but I’ve watched a lot of cars back into the wall and the guy would be fine. No one’s immune to it; it could be me next week. It could be any of my peers or fellow competitors. I just hate to see us go backwards and I’m afraid that we have,” Chase Elliott said (via Associated Press).
“There’s no excuse for going backward. We have too many smart people, too much technology, too many years of crashing. We should not be in the position we are in. When you come out with a new product, you should step forward, not stay the same or go backward, especially in the safety category,” Chase Elliott said.
In reaction, NASCAR redesigned the rear and center chassis clips for the 2023 season, introducing sacrificial crush zones known as triggers that are intended to collapse on impact to better protect drivers in rear-end collisions. Additionally, some structural bars and tubing were removed to reduce rigidity and improve energy absorption.
NASCAR also mandated new data recorders to capture impact forces more accurately and provided optional mouthpiece sensors to monitor what drivers experience during crashes, aiming to enhance their understanding of collision dynamics.
Implications for NASCAR’s Safety Standards and Future Steps
Chase Elliott’s concerns highlight a significant tension within NASCAR as the series balances innovation with driver safety. The call to prioritize safety underscores the risks drivers face and the need for continuous improvements, especially with the Next Gen car evolving. How NASCAR responds in upcoming seasons will be critical in restoring driver confidence and preventing further injuries in the sport’s top competitions.