Jimmie Johnson reveals Chase Elliott’s complaint about the NextGen car

Legacy Motor Club driver Jimmie Johnson recently discussed the NextGen car, the Gen 7, and how Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliot complained about it. The NextGen car is currently used in the Cup Series.

It was first introduced in 2022 with improved aero and downforce packages. The lower cost of manufacturing the cars also attracted new OEMs such as Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota to participate. However, some drivers find it challenging to maneuver the vehicle due to the various changes made.

Jimmie Johnson joined Kevin Harvick on his podcast, Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour, where he spoke about the NextGen car. He talked about Elliot complaining about how he cannot drive the vehicle, saying (25:51 onwards):

"Even chase Elliot, I had a conversation with him at Richmond on Saturday night and he's like " man you just it's not like it used to be.""

Elliot currently competes full-time in NASCAR's Cup Series, driving the #9 Chevrolet ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. He also competes part-time in the Xfinity Series, driving the #17 Chevrolet SS for HMS.

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Chase Elliot talks about winning in front of the home crowd after being winless for a long time

The #9 Hendrick Motorsports car driver won at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, ending his 44-race winless streak and taking his first victory of the season. He made a last-lap pass on Brad Keselowski to win the race.

The race had 46 swaps by 13 drivers and multiple accidents. Amidst the chaos, Chase Elliot led nine out of the 41 laps. The Elliot family has a legacy at the Atlanta track, as Bill Elliot has five wins there. With this victory, Elliot secured his second win at the track and continued the family legacy.

While speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after the win, he said:

"Yeah, it was wild. You know, got just a couple really good situations off of four and had a really big shove there and into one. I think I got two for one there with a couple to go that got me by, I forget who, and then the 45 and that got me to third. And I'm not exactly sure what happened, but somehow or another, Alex got to third or got me to second, I'm sorry. And I couldn't really tell how that happened. And when I saw him in my mirror, I thought, well, you know, that's better than somebody else."

Chase Elliot built his career based on consistency, performance, and perseverance. He currently stands in second place in the driver's championship with 771 points and has 12 top-10s, seven top-fives, and one win this season.