Published 12/12/2022, 12:30 PM EST
The 2022 NASCAR Cup season has wrapped up, meaning that the first season with the Next Gen car is over. Truthfully speaking, it was a rough start for the drivers as they struggled to get used to the new cars. Unfortunately, as the season progressed, there were a few mishaps, and they had consequences.
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In light of that, the likes of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, and other drivers have been very critical of the new cars. Now, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron gave his opinion on the matter.
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In a Gametime with Boomer Esiason podcast he said, “Yeah, I think that it’s certainly a concern. Having a couple of drivers have concussions right now is not what we want. NASCAR is going to work on it and we’re going to get better. It’s the first year, like we’ve talked about, first year with the car. It is a little too stiff. We’ve got to go to work on trying to make it softer, so it crushes more when you hit the wall. I think we’ll have some ideas for that in the off-season. Hopefully, next year we can put all this stuff behind us. Some of the increased concussions, things like that.”
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To be perfectly honest, these drivers have a valid point and were right to be worried. This was because the season gave many of them some painful reminders that the sport was still dangerous. Case in point, Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman getting ruled out of contention due to concussions. Additionally, Cody Ware was also injured in a pretty hard hit, but that is a different story.
Mar 27, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron (24) before the start of the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The point is that the Next Gen cars have not been particularly ‘safe’ for the drivers. This is why many of the drivers have been complaining about how stiff the cars are. Fortunately, the 2023 season will give the teams some time to iron out any issues with their cars.
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Do you think the issues with the Next Gen cars will persist next season or we will see the concerns of the drivers addressed?