‘These Cars Look So Fast’: NASCAR Fans Relish Gen Six Car Memories When Erik Jones Tried to Emulate Dale Earnhardt

NASCAR fans seem to be done with the Next Gen cars, to the point where even a clip from the archives pulls at their heartstrings, reminding them how the previous generation cars had the upper hand.

Ahead of the upcoming All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, one fan shared footage of a thrilling qualifying race where Erik Jones took a swing — albeit an unsuccessful one — at making a pass, but what fans fixated on was how Gen 6 cars aided overtaking.

The shared video dated back to the 2017 NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. During the 50-lap, three-stage qualifying race for the main event, Jones, Chase Elliott, and Daniel Suárez found themselves in a heated battle for the top spot in the final 10-lap dash.

Jones dove down the inside, looking to squeeze past Elliott, and clipped the infield — almost completing a ‘pass in the grass’, reminiscent of the 1987 attempt at Charlotte that involved Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Bill Elliott. For a brief moment, it looked like Jones might pull off the feat and overtake both cars.

That hope, however, was short-lived. The attempt went south when his splitter dug in, derailing his momentum and ending his charge. Suárez went on to win the stage and punch his ticket to the main event. Elliott, meanwhile, secured the final slot in the Monster Energy All-Star Race through the Fan Vote.

Though the maneuver caught fans’ attention, what stood out even more was the comparison between eras. Many pointed out how the Gen 6 cars, used at the time, seemed to allow better racing and more speed than the Gen 7 machines.

One fan tagged the NASCAR President and remarked, “@stevephelps do you remember back when race cars use to be able to pass? Lmfao.” Another chimed in, “Why do these cars look so fast and hard to drive? Bring this back.”

One of the more popular Erik Jones moments: All Star race weekend in 2017, Jones attempts a pass in the grass, but fails miserably. pic.twitter.com/F5uv2iPM49

— Did Erik Jones Win (@diderikwin) May 17, 2025

Another viewer weighed in, stating, “These cars were miles better than gen 7,” while someone else questioned the direction of the sport altogether, asking, “What happened to the sport I love??”

As for the main event, Kyle Busch took the reins on the final restart with 10 laps to go and never looked back. He moved his #18 JGR Toyota inside Brad Keselowski, who was on worn tires, then cleared Jimmie Johnson through Turns 1 and 2 to take the lead in clean air.

Johnson gave chase, fueled by the $1 million prize on the line, but Busch held him at bay to win his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, pulling away to a 1.274-second margin.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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