The Drivers Advisory Council has served as an important bridge between NASCAR and Cup Series drivers since its inception in 2022. Helmed by Jeff Burton and a seven-member Board of Directors, the council is the second iteration of such a congregation. The previous one, inaugurated in 2015, was dissolved in 2019 due to inefficacy. But the current council appears to be doing a far better job than its predecessor.
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Talking to the press in Martinsville before Sunday’s race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson was asked about the council and how he viewed its performance. He noted in his response how he’d also been a part of the previous council and that the current one has come a long way in establishing more promise and trust amongst all stakeholders.
His words went, “I feel like we’re moving forward together a little bit better than we used to. I mean it’s always been good, even from its inception, I feel like it’s been decent. But I feel like now there’s the trust level between everybody which makes things a little bit nicer.” Creating trust between all parties and enabling smooth communication was one of the primary goals of the council. Larson’s take check that box.
The purpose behind setting up a Drivers Advisory Council
When Jeff Burton laid the foundation stone for the new council in 2022, he included seven drivers (former and current) to be the members of his board: Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Corey LaJoie, Joey Logano, Kyle Petty, and Daniel Suarez. Burton led the team as the sole director and took up the job so that the others would not have to split their attention between council work and driving duties.
He said to NBC Sports at the time, “The Council’s role is to gather as much information as possible, communicate that with the drivers, be a conduit to communication (Between drivers and NASCAR), not a firewall. We only want to enhance those communications.” NASCAR and the Race Team Alliance were both on board with the formation of the council and things kicked off positively.
The effects of the council started getting clear as early as October 2022 after drivers began raising concerns over the safety of the Next Gen car. Burton served as a liaison between them and NASCAR to help set up productive meetings and make meaningful changes to the car. It is an optimistic revelation from Larson in Martinsville that the council is still, in 2024, hot on the purpose that it set out to fulfill.
