Why Don’t NASCAR Cars Have Side Windows? Exploring the Intricacies of the Next Gen Machine

Many new fans, who tune into this shrine of American Stock Car racing each weekend, wonder why the cars don’t have side windows. Well, the answer is two-fold. Firstly, these cars aren’t designed to look normal, they’re designed to go fast. After all, it’s because of aerodynamics.

And secondly, driver safety has become a top-most priority for racing series across the globe today. So let’s dive into the reasons why NASCAR cars do not sport any type of windows.

Aerodynamics

How does a lack of windows help aerodynamics in NASCAR? For the Cup car to breach speeds upwards of 180 mph+, it needs the air to flow around its body in the most efficient way possible.

The current generation of Stock Cars (Next Gen) is built specifically around this idea. Having windows can create an unsavory phenomenon known as wind resistance or drag.

This is what slows the cars down. Eliminating this ensures that in a sport where even a fraction of a second can mean victory or tears, each driver has the best aerodynamically functioning machinery at their disposal.

Safety

Choosing to do away with windows altogether in NASCAR cars is a measured move by the sport to ensure that driver safety is prioritized. Firstly, in cases of crashes, it is easier to extract a driver without windows. These cars have safety nettings instead which ensure that no limbs come flailing out when the car takes a hit.

Secondly, the current spec of NASCAR cars, without windows, have a better opportunity to ventilate the cockpit and control temperatures. This is extremely important given that these races can be 3-4 hours long with sweltering temperatures inside the cars.

Further, the Next Gen cars are also a step forward in terms of safety standards. It is understood that cars with windows lessen the integrity of the roll cages — which are put in place to ensure that when a car rolls over at speeds, the driver is cocooned and kept safe.