What is the next generation car in NASCAR 2022?

In 2022, NASCAR unveiled significant upgrades and enhancements to its racing machines, leading to the christening of the new models as Next Generation cars. The Next-Gen cars, also referred to as Gen-7 cars, represent a further evolution from the Gen-6 models.

Major advancements in the Next-Gen cars.

The primary advancements of Next-Gen cars over their predecessors lie in their enhanced aerodynamics and downforce packages. These advancements include aerodynamic vents on the hood, a stepped front splitter, and a redesigned side skirt.

These upgrades greatly reduce side force in the cars. Apart from aerodynamic and downforce upgrades, the Next-Gen car introduces rear diffusers for the first time in NASCAR. The rear diffusers help with the rear-end stability in medium to high-speed corners. The chassis continue to be built with a steel space frame but Next-Gen cars use modular frames for faster setups.

In the previous generation, cars used to have a traditional 4-speed manual gearbox, which is now replaced by 5-speed Xtrac Limited sequential manual transmission.

To enhance drivability, the solid rear axle is forfeited for an independent rear suspension with 5-way adjustable Ohlins TTR dampers.

The previous generation cars used to have 15-inch steel wheels with five lug nuts, which have been made obsolete by the introduction of new 18-inch aluminum wheels that use a single center-locking lug nut. Because of this new wheel design, pit stops are faster.

To improve driver visibility and awareness, the Next Gen car comes equipped with a rear camera, which is installed above the driver's rear window.