Logano tests radical Next Gen car at Phoenix
Race fans are getting a more detailed look at NASCAR’s next generation car during its on-track test this week at ISM Raceway near Phoenix.
While the two-day test is closed to fans and media, NASCAR’s social media channels published numerous pictures of the car on Monday, which offered a more thorough glimpse into its design than its appearance in a test at Richmond in October.
Austin Dillon drove the car at Richmond, which featured a back-and-white camouflaged wrap, while Joey Logano is handling the test at Phoenix – with a far more dramatic black color scheme with red detailing on the nose – that concludes Tuesday. The car (formerly known as the 'Gen-7') has been prepared by Richard Childress Racing.
While the test car still has a manufacturer-generic overall design, several features stood out in the photos published Monday – including the far more stock-looking wheels and wheel well, body side molding and character lines, hood design and what appears to be some air exhaust vents built into the rear bumper.
"We started running through different tires and different aero packages and tried different things to see what would make the best racing. It’s not about what drives the best, what’s the easiest to drive - we don’t want that," Logano said after the first day of testing.
"We want something that’s challenging that will show that the best driver and the best team will prevail. So, we’re trying things on different extremes – a lot of downforce, and then little downforce and then figure out what’s going to make the best racing. And then you go from there to make the next step, bring some more cars.
"We’re still in the preliminary stages, but we definitely have some cool pieces to the car."
In a news conference last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR President Steve Phelps said the goal of the Next Gen car was to “put the ‘stock’ back in stock car.”
“Our OEM partners (manufacturers) were here looking at the showroom car or the street car versus what our race car will look like. It’s going to be extraordinary,” he said.
The next test for the car is scheduled for January at Homestead and it will mark the first time the car is tested on an intermediate track, the type that makes up the bulk of the Cup series schedule.
Previous article
Truex’s crew chief Cole Pearn in shock Joe Gibbs Racing exit
Next article
Brennan Poole joins Premium Motorsports for 2020 Cup season
About this article
| Series | NASCAR Cup |
| Drivers | Joey Logano |
| Author | Jim Utter |
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.
