Toby's Take: Has The Next Gen Car Lost Its Luster On 1.5-Mile Tracks?

Toby Christie questioned whether NASCAR’s Next Gen car has lost some of its appeal on 1.5-mile tracks after a “lackluster” Kansas Speedway race on Sunday. Introduced in the Cup Series before the 2022 season, the car has reduced the speed gap between front and back, but short tracks have seen less overall passing since 2022 because cars run at nearly the same pace. That has prompted multiple NASCAR tweaks to aerodynamics and horsepower packages and softer Goodyear tire compounds. On superspeedways, Christie said racing has leaned toward fuel strategy. At Kansas, Kyle Larson won the Hollywood Casino 400 with 76 points, sweeping both stages and leading 235 of 267 laps, before a late moment of drama involving Chase Briscoe.