NASCAR drivers react to testing mufflers on cars to reduce noise levels

The NASCAR Next Gen car introduced last year is all set to undergo testing this week for the first round of major updates that might be introduced later in the year. Phoenix Raceway is set to play host to six Cup Series teams on Tuesday and Wednesday, where a host of upgrades will be tested for their performance and effects on the seventh-generation car, one of which is mufflers for reduced engine sound.

The purpose of a muffler on a race car, be it a stock car, or in-fact a road car, is to muffle the sound coming from the engine via the exhaust, while the rest of the exhaust system such as the catalytic converter works towards neutralizing harmful tailpipe emissions.

Mufflers are majorly undergoing testing for the two upcoming events in metropolitan areas, namely the Busch Light Clash and the Chicago City Street Race. With an expected drop of 6-10 decibels in the overall sound of each car, drivers, just like the fans themselves, had varied opinions on whether mufflers are the correct way forward for the sport. Here are some of the reactions from prominent Cup Series drivers:

2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano felt mufflers were a necessity for the sport today and said:

“I think they’re necessary. Let me tell you why. I’ve heard a lot of really cool cars go done the road with mufflers on it. It’s not about volume, it’s about tone. It’s about the sound. It doesn’t have to hurt for that to be good. NHRA is maybe, really loud, but that’s for 3 seconds. We’re out there for 3 and a half hours. I think we can make these cars sound really cool and not hurt at the same time.”

Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain said:

“I had to go to a different ear mold for this past year, because the ones I had would not seal good enough. I needed something that cut out more noise. I was able to go find it. It hurt. It was just too loud. I had to turn the radios all the way up.”

Erik Jones seems to prefer the louder seventh-generation cars, and elaborated:

“We’ve seen this road in motorsports, at least a little bit, with Formula One when they went to their quieter cars close to 10 years ago now. The fan reaction probably wasn’t the greatest. I don’t mind a loud car. These ones are, very loud compared to our predecessor. I like it. I think it’s part of the racing, part of the experience at the track.”

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NASCAR is also looking at aerodynamic tweaks for the Next Gen car

The upcoming NASCAR testing day at Phoenix Raceway is also slated to run tweaked aerodynamics, which will help drivers drive in dirty air, in a bid to make overtaking easier.

Along with aero tweaks, another aspect of the NASCAR test session is to reduce the rubber build-up in the front wheel wells of the car, which saw catastrophic retirements such as Kevin Harvick's last year.