NASCAR legend Richard Petty Claims the Next-Gen cars ‘made everybody a little bit closer,’ on the field


NASCAR legend Richard Petty Claims the Next-Gen cars ‘made everybody a little bit closer,’ on the field

Bubba Wallace and Richard Petty

NASCAR introduced the Next-Gen car to make the field come closer where the middle runners have an equal chance at winning such as the front runners and the usual back trackers of the race might finish higher up the order.

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The debut season of Next-Gen car so far has witnessed 7 different champions in 8 rounds with Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron being the only double champion with his latest win at Martinsville. Though Hendrick Motorsport has shown clear dominance in the season so far by winning 4 out of 8 races, the other teams also have been leaving their mark in 2022.  

Now NASCAR Legend Richard Petty, the 7 times Cup Series Champion has acknowledged that the efforts put in NASCAR have been successful as the new tracks and races are bringing the field closer.

Find out what Richard Petty said on Next-Gen cars

Richard Petty
Richard Petty

Richard Petty acknowledged that the Next-Gen car has made the field closer but added that it didn’t make the cars usually in the back join the front row instead it diminished the speed difference they had. He went on add that the guys in the middle are pushing the front runners hard, increasing the competition.  He added that the new cars present opportunities to drivers have a better finish in tracks such as Bristol.

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“I think it’s made everybody a little bit closer. The back guys are not upfront but they’re closer to the front. The guys running in the middle are pushing the guys upfront. If you look at the finishes so far, there are some new names. The competition because of the new car is so much closer, Richard Petty said.

“Each track has been different because the cars have never been on the tracks. When we come to Bristol, we will have been on every type of track that NASCAR runs. The new car gives everybody a better chance of finishing better, maybe not winning the race but going from 20th to 15th,” Richard Petty added.

“It’s always been a big deal,” Richard Petty on Bristol Dirt track

Bristol Dirt track
Bristol Dirt track

Richard Petty acknowledged that the Bristol Dirt track always has been a big deal in NASCAR and said making a coliseum out of the track and adding a dirt deal there rejuvenates the track and fans. He went on to add that the new track is exciting news for fans and a challenging one for the drivers.

“It’s always been a big deal, even when it first opened. It was a little bit different. Then, they start started making a coliseum out of the thing and had 160,000 people show up. Now that they’re doing the dirt deal here, it rejuvenates the track. It’s exciting for the fans and it’s challenging for the drivers,” Richard Petty said.

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Also read: ‘He brake-checked the heck out of me,’ Joey Logano on what cost him a win against William Byron at Martinsville