NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR holds final Next Gen test at Phoenix

2 Mins read
Credit: RFK Racing

The next time the NASCAR Cup SeriesNext Gen cars drive on a track, it will be in a race. Tuesday and Wednesday saw Phoenix Raceway host the seventh-generation car’s final organisational test ahead of its racing début in the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The test came two weeks after another two-day session was held at Daytona International Speedway, where the first points race with the Next Gen car will take place in the form of the Daytona 500 on 20 February. Conversely, Phoenix is the final race of the season on 6 November.

Reigning champion Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first day of testing, while Ryan Blaney led the way in the second. Much of the cars that tested at Daytona returned for Phoenix with the exception of Spire Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, and Rick Ware Racing. RWR’s ally Stewart-Haas Racing sent two cars of its own driven by Kevin Harvick and Chase Briscoe.

It was not an entirely clean session. On Tuesday, Kyle Busch spun in turn four but avoided hitting the wall. Todd Gilliland was not as fortunate a day later as his spin resulted in contact.

“We may have some general ideas, but there’s nothing concrete yet until we go out there and race,” said Joey Logano“When you say comfortable, I’m far from comfortable. There’s nothing I really know for certain is coming my way.”

“I don’t have, honestly, one thing that bothers me about the car,” opined Daniel Suárez. “That’s my honest opinion, so I’m happy. I’m happy for the change, I’m happy for where the sport is heading, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Multiple tests have taken place of different forms since the car was revealed in late 2019, from the superspeedways of Daytona to the Charlotte Roval, which NASCAR used to set and refine the rules packages that the sanctioning body hopes will properly usher in a new era. And now, it’s time to race.

Day 1 results

PositionNumberDriverTeamManufacturerBest TimeMarginBest Speed
15Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.329Leader131.728
28Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.474+ .145131.033
322Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord27.500+ .171130.909
447Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet27.534+ .205130.747
523Kurt Busch/Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota27.563+ .234130.610
612Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord27.583+ .254130.515
717Chris BuescherRFK RacingFord27.592+ .263130.473
89Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.611+ .282130.383
94Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord27.648+ .319130.208
1018Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.743+ .414129.762
111Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet27.781+ .452129.585
1219Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota27.784+ .455129.571
1314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord27.809+ .480129.454
1431Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet27.848+ .519129.272
1521Austin CindricWood Brothers RacingFord27.894+ .565129.060
1638Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord28.004+ .675128.553
1742Ty DillonPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet28.147+ .818127.900
1827Loris HezemansTeam HezebergFord28.721+ 1.392125.344

Day 2 results

PositionNumberDriverTeamManufacturerBest TimeMarginBest Speed
112Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord27.292Leader131.907
222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord27.327+ .035131.738
314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord27.376+ .084131.502
49Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.413+ .121131.325
54Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord27.457+ .165131.114
619Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota27.481+ .189131.000
738Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord27.594+ .302130.463
85Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.607+ .315130.402
91Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet27.641+ .349130.241
1018Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.645+ .353130.222
1117Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingFord27.688+ .396130.020
1223Bubba Wallace/Kurt Busch23XI RacingToyota27.705+ .413129.420
1321Harrison BurtonWood Brothers RacingFord27.713+ .421129.903
1431Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet27.748+ .456129.739
1542Ty DillonPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet27.781+ .489129.585
168Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.786+ .494129.562
1747Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet27.826+ .534129.375
1827Loris HezemansTeam HezebergFord27.928+ .636128.903
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