NASCAR: The small dilemma posed by the Next Gen car

The Next Gen car is now just two races away for the NASCAR Cup Series. But how does one balance that hype with the task at hand: winning the 2021 championship?

If not for the COVID-19 pandemic, this discussion would be over by now. The Next Gen car likely would have launched as planned ahead of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, and we would be one season into the new era, the “rebirth of stock”.

But the fact is there was a COVID-19 pandemic, and there were many restrictions related to it, and the launch of the Cup Series’ newest car was affected by those restrictions, with that launch having been delayed until 2022.

Much of the 2021 season has been focused on the launch of the Next Gen car — even with what has been constantly billed as the “best season ever” in full swing.

The Next Gen car models were unveiled all the way back in early May, and there have been significant developments revealed regarding various aspects of the design ever since.

There has also been a significant amount of testing done — by current drivers, no less — throughout the 2021 season.

Generally speaking, we know how fans of any sport think. It’s all about “what’s next?”, even as gripping as the “now” may be. It’s why “silly season” is so big in racing series such as the Cup Series, Formula 1 and IndyCar, and why free agency and the trade deadline are so huge in leagues such as the NFL, NBA and MLB.

But for the drivers actively competing for the 2021 title, is the hype around the Next Gen car really worth buying into at this point?

Moreover, can drivers who are actively trying to focus on winning this year’s championship allow themselves to think about next year yet in any form, Next Gen car or not?

We spoke to Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch, who is in the round of 8 with a chance to advance to the Championship 4 for the first time since 2019 but for the sixth time in the last seven years, about that very subject.

With so much hype around the Next Gen car, does Busch allow himself to think about next year in the midst of the battle for what would be his third championship, or is that strictly offseason material?

“I haven’t even had an opportunity to drive it yet, so I’m not really the best person to ask about it right now,” Busch admitted to Beyond the Flag, even as the Next Gen car hype has increased this week alone with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer testing it at Bowman Gray Stadium.

“We are focused on these last couple of races with the current car and will be worry about next year after that,” he continued. “I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to drive the new car after the off-season and learn more about it then.”

While the hype around the Next Gen car is very real and quite a few drivers have had the chance to test it already, you can’t help but think that this sentiment is shared by many, especially among the playoff drivers who are still competing for a championship in what is currently the only relevant car to the physical on-track competition.

Of course, Busch may not want to focus on it until after the 2021 season ends, but on a lighter note, he already has been thrust into the spotlight in regard to the Next Gen car simply because some don’t realize he has a brother (more on that here). Naturally, he took it in stride and made the situation even more comical.