While Next Gen cars have boosted driver safety within the Cup series, they’ve also been blamed for dampening the excitement of short-track races. The uniformity in speed and components has made overtaking on short tracks more challenging. Nonetheless, NASCAR and Goodyear are addressing these issues by rolling out short-track packages and introducing optional tires. RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece has expressed his approval of these improvements, noting the enhancements are making a difference.
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In a recent discussion with the Cup scene, when Preece was asked about any noticeable changes the Next Gen car has introduced to half-mile short-track racing, he said, “I think it’s gotten closer, in my opinion.” He commended Goodyear for its efforts to develop softer and more wear-resistant tires.
Preece observed that the modifications by NASCAR and Goodyear have started to tip the scales, favoring the outside line over the previously dominant inside track — a shift that used to frustrate many drivers.
He added, “I feel like our short track product is only gonna continue to get better, especially after what I felt like we saw with Martinsville in the fall.”
The #60 Ford driver further expressed his optimism about the direction NASCAR is taking with its enhancements for tracks like Richmond, hoping that sustained efforts will also improve racing at venues like New Hampshire or Wilkesboro. Nevertheless, he tempered expectations, noting that transformations wouldn’t occur overnight.
Preece also weighed in on some of the technical aspects, skeptical that a smaller tire would greatly alter race dynamics. Instead, he suggested, increasing horsepower could provide more chances for strategic brilliance or errors.
Touching upon the influence of aerodynamics in racing, he acknowledged that it plays a significant role, one that many NASCAR drivers have learned to leverage to their advantage, and something that the NASCAR engineers could aim at to improve short-track racing.
Preece’s verdict on the difference between the Xfinity race and the Cup race at Martinsville.
During the interview, when asked if Cup Series racing could reach the excitement levels of Xfinity Series races, Preece was quick to dismiss the idea that Xfinity racing at Martinsville was superior.
He critiqued, “I don’t even think the Xfinity Series racing at Martinsville is that great, I just see guys knocking each other out of the way. That’s it. I don’t think that’s racing.”
However, in response to Goodyear’s suggestion that they might be reaching the limits of possible modifications, Preece acknowledged this might be true.
Yet, he illustrated the potential for innovation by referencing NASCAR’s ride height regulations that led teams to explore coil binding techniques to achieve aerodynamic gains on the track, suggesting unforeseen possibilities still exist. He noted that there are things no one knows are possible until someone figures them out.
Preece emphasized that racing thrives on continual innovation and exploration, discovering solutions previously thought unattainable.
