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Semi-retired driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been vocal about the Next Gen car since last year. In 2021, when NASCAR announced the Clash at the LA Coliseum, he began raising concerns about the cars on his weekly podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.
The two-time winner of the most coveted race, the Daytona 500, predicted that teams would try and out-smart NASCAR with the introduction of the Next-Gen car. In simpler terms, Earnhardt Jr. meant the teams would most likely attempt to cheat in the races.
Earlier this year, Earnhardt Jr. emphasized what he had mentioned previously about the possibility of cheating. He said:
“With all of the components, there’s all new places and areas for them to get creative in. And when I say get creative, I mean cheat. I think that’s going to be a very, very difficult task for NASCAR to control all the creativity that these teams are going to try to develop.”
In 2021, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stated in one of the episodes of his podcast that it would be tough for the motorsport association to curb cheating in the race. With the introduction of new cars, parts, and pieces, he insisted drivers might be able to find an advantage.
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s EVP, however, clearly outlined the consequences for any team planning to mess with vendor-supplied parts. Motorsports journalist Bob Pockrass tweeted O'Donnell's warning against cheating, writing:
NASCAR EVP Steve O’Donnell promises big penalties for messing with vendor-supplied parts. There is speculation penalties could include a playoff ban. O’Donnell wouldn’t confirm but said: “We have put everybody on notice...We want to make sure the penalty matters.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Next Gen car test
The Next Gen car debuted over the weekend on Sunday, February 6, at the historic LA Memorial Coliseum. Surprisingly, the semi-retired driver was among the first to hit the LA Coliseum grounds. Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the likes of Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney as the first drivers to turn laps inside the LA Clash before the start of the race.
Earnhardt Jr. drove the Ally Chevrolet #48, belonging to Alex Bowman. On his Twitter account, he stated:
“Had some fun filming a little piece for NBC. Not lost on me was being one of the first drivers to hit the new LA Coliseum surface. It’s slick. Gonna be brawl Sunday. Appreciate @ Alex_Bowman loaning me his ride.”
Being his second time riding a Next Gen car, after participating in its first test at Bowman Gray Stadium, the driver-turned-motorsport analyst had only praise for the car.
Also Checkout : 2022 Nascar Cup Series Results
