Conflicting views remain within the NASCAR community regarding the Next Gen car’s impact on racing, with drivers like Denny Hamlin expressing frustration while others, including Kyle Petty, offer differing opinions. The debate centers on how the Next Gen car has changed the sport since its introduction, particularly with regard to tire performance and aerodynamic effects.

Kyle Petty believes the Next Gen car brought the Cup Series out of an outdated era defined by carburetors and older technology, modernizing the entire lineup. However, the transition to a more contemporary design has not satisfied everyone, especially when considering the quality of racing on the track.

Denny Hamlin shared his perspective after media sessions at Richmond Raceway, emphasizing the current challenges. He acknowledged some of Petty’s points but highlighted issues gained as the season progressed, especially with the narrowing speed differences among cars.

I mean, he’s right in that sense [that we don’t drive stock cars]. Certainly, it’s not a stock car,

Hamlin said. I definitely heard him talk about you know, ‘We used to just bring a car off the street and turn it into a racecar.’ Obviously, those days have been gone for decades now. Yeah, so, he’s definitely, partially right. The difference is that, you know, to address kind of the, we’ve had exciting moments in this car, and I don’t disagree with that. The issue is that it happened early in the Next Gen era where there was so much disparity between the fast cars and slower cars. Now, everyone, over time, since there’s been no development for years and years now and nothing’s really changed, the field has just tightened up. You can see it from the fastest to the slowest. —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

Hamlin pointed out that in the first race at Richmond with the Next Gen car, the average lap time gap between cars was roughly seven-tenths of a second, but over time, this gap shrunk dramatically.

The first time here [at Richmond] in the Next Gen was, on average lap time, seven-tenths, somewhere in that range. And last time we came here it was three-and-a-half [tenths]. The field is just now running the same speed, and at a track where you have to have at least two-and-a-half to three tenths of speed to overtake the car in front of you, that means that the first-place fastest car is going to struggle to pass the 25th if he just gets put behind him.

—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

Hamlin Advocates for Adjustments Similar to Xfinity Series Cars

One significant concern Hamlin has raised repeatedly is the challenge of overtaking with the Next Gen car. During practice sessions at Richmond Raceway, teams encountered difficulties adapting to extremely soft tires. The softness, while potentially enhancing grip, also raised concerns about whether teams have an adequate tire supply for the event, despite NASCAR not providing additional sets.

Hamlin believes that if NASCAR does not adjust horsepower or reduce downforce, the tire compound plays a crucial role in making races more competitive and engaging for fans. He praises efforts by Goodyear to introduce a more aggressive tire but states broader changes are needed to solve fundamental problems.

So, that’s the fundamental part that is going to be tough for us to kind of overcome,

Hamlin continued. Unless, you know, we have some major changes or with the tire, we’re working on that. Goodyear is working on that. We’re coming here with a more aggressive tire. You’ve gotta applaud that, that they’re willing to do it. And that came from trying it last year. But beyond that, we’ve gotta fix the attitude. —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

He advocates shifting downforce from beneath the car’s body to the overbody, a characteristic seen in the Xfinity Series vehicles, which allows drivers to closely follow and challenge the cars ahead. This adjustment enables more dynamic racing where speed parity does not eliminate overtaking opportunities.

I’ve said it a million times on my podcast. Getting rid of the underbody downforce and putting it on the overbody so you have the ability, like you do in the Xfinity Series, to drive up behind someone and get them off the bottom. That’s when running the same speed will be okay, because you can at least get close to the car in front of you to get them, to manipulate them, and slow them down. Where, right now, the leader has the 100% advantage over the second-place car. Xfinity, it’s a little bit more even, more 50/50.

—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver

The Future of the Next Gen Car and Upcoming Changes

NASCAR has indicated plans to raise horsepower for the Next Gen car, but this upgrade is not expected until 2026. Until then, drivers like Hamlin are pushing for quicker aerodynamic revisions to enhance race quality and excitement. The combination of low downforce and tire dynamics remains a major topic for teams and drivers as they seek improvements.

Hamlin’s ongoing dialogue on this subject highlights the urgency drivers feel about evolving the Next Gen design to bring back closer, more strategic racing, echoing desires from many within the NASCAR community. With continued debate and upcoming technical evaluations, the coming years are expected to showcase gradual but important adjustments to the Cup Series’ flagship vehicles.