What Is the Difference Between NASCAR Cars in the Cup and Xfinity Series?

Leave it to the NASCAR newbie to explain the differences between the cars in the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. It isn’t news that the NextGen car catapulted the sophistication of stock car racing to new highs since 2022. But that elevation has been implemented only in the premier tier and not in the lower tiers including the Xfinity Series. 

Shane van Gisbergen, as someone who has found success in both car variants, recently detailed the differences. He said, “The biggest thing is that the Cup car, it feels like a race car. It feels like every other car I’ve driven around the world, with the aero and the rear end (…) Even on the oval, it kind of feels like a normal car. Whereas the Xfinity car, it’s only specific to oval racing, basically.”

van Gisbergen reflects that the Xfinity car is the type of vehicle that was used in NASCAR forever before the NextGen era. He takes particular interest in the way its rear behaves for he has never driven a car like it. And he isn’t wrong with his assessment that the second-tier car is like its ancestors. It does still come with 15-inch wheels, five lug nuts, and a four-speed manual transmission.

The NextGen car, on the other hand, is made to go fast and turn right and left with ease. With 18-inch wheels, a single lug nut, and a five-speed sequential transmission, it represents the highest engineering advancement in the sport. For someone like van Gisbergen, who has come in from a foreign racing discipline, this is a boon in the making.

The NextGen car, with its ease of driving, has enabled even those less experienced with it to compete with it at a high level. van Gisbergen’s maiden victory in the Chicago Street Course in 2023 is the biggest testament to that. Now, in his second year in the sport, the driver has excelled in the Xfinity Series car as well. He scored back-to-back victories this month and proved his worth.

One other key difference between the cars is in the suspension. The Xfinity car still comes with a solid rear axle whereas the NextGen features an independent rear suspension. This helps drivers to push their cars as hard as they want and not fear the parts coming off loose. A million other advantages separate the machines. Hopefully, it won’t be long before positive similarities are enforced across all tiers.