We probably would've had our tongues hanging out right now
In the long arc of motorsport evolution, NASCAR arrived at a quiet milestone in early February 2021: the Next Gen car, the most sweeping reimagining of Cup Series machinery in a generation, had completed its development phase with all three manufacturers aligned. A pandemic that disrupted so much had, paradoxically, granted the sport the rarest of gifts — unhurried time to refine, optimize, and prepare. The car would debut in 2022, not as a rushed answer to a deadline, but as something closer to a considered promise.
- A years-long engineering effort reached its finish line when Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota all received design approval for the Next Gen car — a moment that transformed ambition into scheduled reality.
- COVID-19 had forced a one-year delay, but NASCAR's own officials admitted the extra time prevented a launch that would have stretched the organization dangerously thin.
- Seven wheel-force transducer tests and three organizational team tests are now mapped across 2021, with the prototype set to visit Richmond, Darlington, Texas, and Bristol before the year is out.
- Cost optimization — not just performance — became a central engineering priority during the extended timeline, reflecting the financial pressures teams face in a sport with tight margins.
- A full public unveiling of all three manufacturer-specific models is planned for late spring, marking the moment the future of Cup racing steps fully into view.
On a Monday in early February, NASCAR's competition officials gathered virtually to deliver a milestone: the Next Gen car had cleared its development phase. All three manufacturers — Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota — had locked in approved designs, and the sport's most ambitious redesign in years was ready to move from engineering rooms to racetracks.
John Probst, NASCAR's Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation, walked through the road ahead. Testing would begin March 16-17 at Richmond Raceway, followed by Goodyear tire work and a landmark moment at Martinsville, where all three manufacturers would run simultaneously to collect wheel-force data. A public unveiling of the three distinct models was set for late spring — the first real look fans and teams would get at Cup racing's next chapter.
The pandemic delay, Probst acknowledged, had been an unexpected advantage. Launching in 2021 would have been possible but punishing. The extra year allowed engineers to scrutinize line-item costs with care — a less glamorous pursuit than raw performance, but a critical one for teams operating on narrow margins.
The 2021 testing calendar was dense: seven wheel-force transducer tests, three organizational team tests, and prototype visits to multiple speedways across the season. At least one team test was planned after the Charlotte Roval in October, with two more following the season's end.
NASCAR also addressed the present alongside the future. COVID-19 protocols would continue, with rapid-antigen testing retained as a secondary screening tool. A 750-horsepower package would appear at select tracks. Bristol's dirt race would run 250 laps with qualifying heats setting the field. And sensitivity training was made mandatory for everyone in the sport, with membership contingent on completion — a signal that NASCAR's cultural evolution was moving in step with its mechanical one.
The Next Gen car remained a horizon event, its true story still to be written by testing. But NASCAR entered 2021 with something valuable: a plan, a timeline, and the uncommon luxury of time to execute both well.
NASCAR's competition officials gathered virtually on a Monday in early February to chart the course ahead, and the headline was clear: the Next Gen car, the sport's most ambitious redesign in years, had finished its development phase. All three manufacturers—Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota—had their designs locked in and approved. The car that was supposed to race in 2021 would now debut in 2022, a delay born from the pandemic but one that, as it turned out, gave the sport something unexpected: breathing room.
John Probst, NASCAR's Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation, laid out the timeline with precision. The prototype would return to Richmond Raceway on March 16 and 17 for its first on-track work of the year. Goodyear tire testing would follow. By late March, all three manufacturers would have cars running simultaneously at Martinsville Speedway for wheel-force data collection—the kind of granular engineering work that separates a finished design from a rushed one. A full public unveiling of the three manufacturer-specific models was scheduled for late spring, giving fans and teams their first real look at what the future of Cup Series racing would look like.
The delay itself had been a gift, Probst acknowledged. When the pandemic first hit, NASCAR had been on track to launch the Next Gen car in 2021. "We probably would've had our tongues hanging out right now if we were to launch it in 2021," he said. Instead, the extra year allowed the competition department to focus on something less glamorous but equally important: line-item costs. Every dollar mattered in a sport where teams operated on tight margins, and the extended timeline meant engineers could optimize without cutting corners.
The testing schedule for 2021 was ambitious. Seven wheel-force transducer tests were planned, along with three organizational tests for teams to get their hands on the new machinery. The P3 prototype would visit Richmond, Darlington, Texas, and Bristol throughout the season. At least one organizational test would happen after the Charlotte Roval race in October, with two more scheduled after the season ended. Two additional tire tests for the current car model were also on the docket—a way of keeping the present competitive while building the future.
Beyond the Next Gen car, NASCAR addressed a range of operational matters. COVID-19 protocols from the previous season would continue, with an emphasis on rapid reporting and enhanced screening. Teams were reminded about proper mask use at the track. The sport would continue deploying rapid-antigen testing as a secondary screening tool when needed, a practice that had proven valuable late in 2020. John Bobo, NASCAR's vice president of racing operations, framed it as part of being a good guest in every community the sport visited.
For the 2021 season itself, a low-downforce, high-horsepower package—targeting 750 horsepower—would be used at select tracks: Darlington, Nashville Superspeedway, the Daytona road course, and likely Circuit of the Americas. The chicane at Daytona's start-finish line would remain. Bristol Motor Speedway's dirt race on March 28 would use qualifying heats to set the starting lineup, with the race itself running 250 laps—100 laps longer than previous dirt events. Field sizes were set across all three national series: Cup Series races would be capped at 40 cars, with practice and qualifying only at eight events.
The briefing also touched on broader cultural shifts. Sensitivity training had become mandatory for everyone in the sport, with membership itself contingent on completion. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer, emphasized that the push toward inclusivity had never been stronger. And in a small but telling adjustment, NASCAR clarified a pit-road rule: a crewmember who slipped and accidentally placed a hand in the pit box while reaching over the wall for a tire would no longer be penalized for too many people over the wall. It was the kind of granular rule adjustment that reflected a sport thinking carefully about fairness and intent.
As 2021 unfolded, the Next Gen car remained on the horizon—a promise of transformation waiting in the wings. The testing would tell the real story. But for now, NASCAR had a plan, a timeline, and the luxury of time to get it right.
Notable Quotes
We probably would've had our tongues hanging out right now if we were to launch it in 2021. I think we're certainly on schedule and probably able to spend a little more time focusing on line-item costs.— John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation
Our mantra to be as inclusive as we possibly can has never been stronger.— Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why push the Next Gen car to 2022 instead of racing it in 2021? Wasn't that the original plan?
It was. But COVID-19 forced the delay, and Probst said something interesting about it—they realized they would've been stretched thin launching in 2021. The extra year let them focus on costs, which matters enormously for teams operating on tight budgets.
So the delay was actually beneficial?
In a way, yes. They got to optimize without rushing. Seven wheel-force tests, three organizational tests, multiple speedways—that's thorough preparation. You don't get that kind of time if you're launching on schedule.
What about the current season? Are there significant changes to the cars racing in 2021?
No wholesale changes, but they're introducing a low-downforce, high-horsepower package—750 horsepower—at certain tracks like Darlington and Nashville. And Bristol is getting a dirt race in March, which is new territory for Cup Series racing.
How did they decide which tracks get the new package?
The source doesn't say exactly, but it seems tied to track characteristics. Darlington, Nashville, the Daytona road course, and Circuit of the Americas. Each presents different racing dynamics.
What else changed from last year?
COVID protocols continue, but they're refining them. Rapid-antigen testing as a secondary screening, emphasis on mask use. And they clarified a pit-road rule—if a crewmember slips and accidentally puts a hand in the pit box, it's no longer a penalty. Small thing, but it shows they're thinking about fairness and intent.