How the NASCAR Next Gen Car Is Schooling 28 Years’ Worth of Cup Series Machinery in This One Shocking Statistic

NASCAR Cup Series driver Austin Hill (33) pit crew goes to work early in the first segment during the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR appears to have made yet another terrible mistake with the Next Gen car. Introduced in 2022, the wheels of the car had a single lug nut in them as opposed to the usual five. The promotion claimed that this approach would help teams save time on the pit road. And it did. But the cost of the few saved seconds is turning out to be too high.

NASCAR media member Justin Schuoler revealed an interesting statistic on his X handle recently. The Cup Series has had 48 detached wheels in the 3.25 seasons since the Next Gen car was introduced. In the 28 seasons between 1994 and 2021, there were only 45 detached wheels. This is an alarming difference without question.

Detached wheels aren’t an anomaly that can be taken lightly. It is why the promotion levies heavy penalties on teams that don’t fasten their wheels properly. But then, it appears that using a single nut could be a reason for the increased frequency of detached wheels. It will only be a matter of time before someone gets hurt if changes aren’t made.

One fan commented below Schuoler’s post, “Like usual, it’s gonna take someone getting killed for NASCAR to do something. I pray we don’t have another situation like IndyCar had at Michigan back in the 90s.” The 1998 U.S. 500 held at the Michigan Speedway was a tragic event that reflects the dangers of loosely fit wheels.

Adrian Fernandez’s car hit the wall off Turn 4 and caused his right front tire to fly into the grandstands. The rogue tire killed three spectators and injured six others. Like the Next Gen car, the cars that raced in that race used a single nut to fasten their wheels. Is it going to take such a severe incident for NASCAR to make a change, as the fan asks?

How Daniel Suarez’s Crew Averted Imminent Danger at Bristol

During a pit stop in Stage 2 of the Cup Series race at Bristol, Legacy Motor Club driver John Hunter Nemechek and his No. 42 had just completed working on their Toyota Camry XSE. The left front wheel of the car went loose and rolled into Daniel Suarez’s pit box. At this point, Suarez’s crew was working on his No. 99 car.

The tire crashed into the rear bumper of his car before bouncing and making contact with the fuel car. It was a matter of sheer fortune that none were injured in the accident. Trackhouse Racing’s Milan Rudanovic (Fueler) and Seth Gajdorus (Rear Changer) were the ones closest to the tire.

However, they escaped without injury. Incidents like these make a strong case as to why NASCAR is riding a dangerous line currently.

Post Edited By: Srijan Mandal

About the author

Avatar photo

Gowtham Ramalingam

Gowtham is a NASCAR journalist at The SportsRush. Though his affinity for racing stems from Formula 1, he found himself drawn to NASCAR's unparalleled excitement over the years. As a result he has shared his insights and observations by authoring over 3000 articles on the sport. An avid fiction writer, you can find him lost in imaginary worlds when he is not immersed in racing. He hopes to continue savoring the thrill of every lap and race together with his readers for as long as he can.

Don’t miss these