NASCAR’s newest invention, the Next Gen car, was touted to revolutionize the racing product with major upgrades. A five-speed transmission, an independent rear suspension, composite bodies and parts coming from a single source supplier, and the single lug nut system. It also had a giant screen placed inside the cock-pit that gave the drivers a clear view of who was chasing them on their tails. A new modern rear-view mirror, which is essentially a high-definition camera that has become a tool for drivers. And let’s just say not every driver in the Cup Series garage is a fan of the camera.
Kyle Busch’s struggles with the Next Gen car have been documented, and he often takes direct jabs at NASCAR for this new racing machine. Be it fuel-saving or lack of tire wear, he’s often led the charge for pointing out the issues. And when the conversation about the camera device picked up in Dover, the RCR driver shared his unfiltered take.
Thanks to this new tech, drivers often use the camera to keep their rivals at bay. The composite body of the Next Gen car is sensitive, and dumping dirty air or side draft can crush the momentum created by the chasing car. Last year, Denny Hamlin used a similar tactic to fend off Kyle Larson and bagged his third win of the season at Dover Motor Speedway. And now that the NASCAR circus is back at the Monster-Mile, the mirror driving is one of the hot topics. And going by Rowdy’s take, he certainly wouldn’t rely on tech to gain an advantage on the racetrack.
“Us talking about it, isn’t going to change anything. I would say that if you run the mirror, you don’t get a spotter. If you want a spotter, you don’t get the mirror, the camera, so pick one. What would I pick? I would pick the spotter over the mirror,” Busch said while speaking to the media ahead of the race. And this isn’t the first time he’s aired out his concerns regarding the mirror driving that has become a new trick that drivers deploy during the race.
Aug 31, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Kyle Busch answers questions from the media at Charlotte Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Before the Next Gen car, the only reliable piece of information that a driver had came from his spotter on the roof. And while the spotters haven’t been replaced yet, Busch feels that with the use of the technology, there’s no separation. For him, the information about the events happening during the race should be between a driver and a spotter. But given that NASCAR hasn’t moved the needle with this issue, they are likely to keep this feature inside the car.
But despite the talk of new tech merging with the race craft, Rowdy has a lot on his plate. For starters, he is still looking for his first win of the season and to secure his qualification for the playoffs. And Dover just could be the right place for the RCR star driver to get that big result.
Kyle Busch’s team is planning to elevate last year’s performance
Historically, Dover has been a good track for Kyle Busch as he has two Monster trophies to his name. Even in the Gen 7 era, where he’s struggled to find his mojo on a lot of tracks, the 1-mile oval seems to be his strong suit. His last three starts since 2022 have seen Busch bag two poles and two top 10 finishes. Last year, he finished the race 4th, starting from the pole. So it seems the #8 team has the right formula in place that allowed Busch to contend for the win and run up front. But will we see something similar this weekend?
“I would say you take everything that you did use last year because it was good for you, and try to replicate that as much as you can. Without knowing anything about the tire, with no tire test being here, no wheel force test or anything like that. We’re all sort of up in the air on what that’s gonna be. So you might as well copy and past last year and go out there and hope that it suits your race car,” Busch added.
With the new Goodyear tires in play, not just the #8 team but the entire Cup garage is heading into the unknown. And this wildcard race might allow Busch to make sizeable gains in his playoffs bid, maybe even compete for the win.
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