NASCAR resumed testing of its Next Gen car for the Cup Series with a two-day, single-car test at Dover International Speedway on Monday and Tuesday. The test was the first for the new car since a 10-week break earlier this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cup Series rookie Cole Custer was the driver for the test after the series ran a doubleheader at Dover on Saturday and Sunday.
“I’m driving the car fairly similar to how you drive Dover every single time you come here,” Custer said, as quoted in an NBC Sports article. “It’s just how much you can get away with. It’s going to be a matter what drivers can get away with more I guess. What driver can drive the car a little bit looser on the edge. What teams can figure out how to keep the cars turning without keeping them on edge. It’s going to be interesting to see who can adapt to it the best. But overall, it’s still the same kind of driving characteristics.”
A video from the test was posted on the Dover International Speedway Twitter (@MonsterMile) account.
the latest test was the fifth for the new car, with all tests being single-car. Tests, which began last October, have been held at tracks including Richmond Raceway, Phoenix Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Auto Club Speedway. Drivers including Austin Dillon, Joey Logano, Erik Jones and William Byron, representing all three manufacturers participating in the Cup Series. So far, all tests have been conducted with a non-manufacturer-specific car.
“Right now, the most important part of the project is getting all of the OEM bodies approved by the end of September,” NASCAR Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development John Probst said, as quoted in a NASCAR.com article. “That is a really big milestone for us, and we’re on track to hit it. In terms of on-track testing, we still want to get to a superspeedway, and we’re looking at something at Daytona after the season ends. There is also significant enough interest that we may look into doing other on-track tests.”
The Next-Gen car originally was scheduled to make its competitive debut in 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic and resulting testing delay have pushed the debut to the 2022 season. The new car is expected to include an 18-inch, single-lug, aluminum alloy wheel, along with a shorter spoiler, raised splitter and larger brakes.
