NASCAR Insider Gives “Fans at Tipping Point” Verdict on Next-Gen Era Race Quality

NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi warned the sport that fans might soon lose their cool over the Next Gen cars.

NASCAR Insider Gives “Fans at Tipping Point” Verdict on Next-Gen Era Race Quality

NASCAR Gateway Cup race (via Getty images)

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NASCAR is in a tough spot with its Next Gen cars. The latest generation cars were introduced in 2022 with major fanfare. However, results have been far lower than expectations. Fans and drivers have criticized these machines plenty of times in the past three years. So much so, NASCAR Insider Jordan Bianchi predicts that the fanbase could soon lose its cool.

The Next Gen cars were meant to bring a new era to the sport. The cars were meant to be safer and reduce costs for teams while enhancing racing. Unfortunately, fans have seen the quality of racing go down due to these machines, especially on shorter circuits, with dirty air becoming a major problem. Former Cup Series champion Denny Hamlin has also urged the sport to fix the issues drivers are facing with the Next Gen cars.

Bianchi insisted that while so far fans have continued to tolerate the problems, they might soon reach the tippling point. He highlighted that the anger over the Next Gen cars is only increasing by the day. Jordan Bianchi predicted that things can go so bad that fans might soon carry pitchforks to the NASCAR headquarters in Daytona and make the sport do away with the current cars.

I do feel like if we haven’t hit it yet, we’re very close to hitting a tipping point with the fanbase where there’s so much anger and animosity. You almost expect a mob outside NASCAR’s Daytona headquarters with pitchforks demanding this car go away.

Jordan Bianchi said on The Teardown podcast.

The NASCAR reporter made it clear things do not look great for the sport. While the series had assured fans that the Next Gen cars would ultimately provide better racing over time, this has certainly not been the case. On the contrary, viewers are only seeing worse on-track action. Though, Bianchi pointed out that intermediate tracks have emerged as the silver lining so far.

It feels like you’re almost at the point, if you’re not there already, because it’s bad. It’s been bad, it’s not getting better, and the only saving grace you have are the intermediate tracks, and when is the next one of those?

Jordan Bianchi added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. labels Next Gen car an ‘IMSA car’

It is not unusual for traditionalists to criticize changes in any sport. However, the Next Gen cars have seemingly made the entire NASCAR field angry. The car was meant to bring major technological advancements to the sport, but it seems that the stakeholders were happy with the ‘stock’ nature of the championship.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. insisted that he loved the sport and he loved to be a part of the sport’s broadcasting team. However, the former Cup Series champion could not hide his feelings over the new cars.

Earnhardt made it clear that the Next Gen cars were not NASCAR, rather they were more suited to the IMSA endurance championship. Dale Jr. pointed out that various elements of the cars, such as the diffuser and low-profile tires made them more like sports cars than stock cars.

I love being a broadcaster in this sport. I am a big fan of NASCAR, I’m a big believer of NASCAR, and I read a lot of the dialogue online. …I want to say that I don’t love the Next Gen car, but it’s here. I don’t love the Next Gen car. It’s an IMSA car, it’s a sports car, it’s got a diffuser, it’s got low-profile tires, it’s got big rims and big brakes. It’s a sports car, it’s not a NASCAR stock car, but it’s here. Everybody’s invested.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Dale Jr. Download.

Certainly, the entire NASCAR field is not hiding their frustrations with the current cars. At the end of the day, drivers and fans just want to watch good racing, it doesn’t matter how advanced the cars might be. This is where the new cars have failed to give results. The sport might soon need to address this major issue and show some tangible progress.

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