It seems only logical that the closer the racing is, the better the racing is. I mean, who doesn’t love a good photo finish or two drivers battling door-to-door for position? However, the Next-Gen car has brought Cup Series racing even closer than ever before, but, is there such a thing as the racing being too close?
Most auto racing fans would probably agree that just because cars are close to each other on the race track, that does not necessarily make for a good race. There have been instances in NASCAR where it can be argued the cars were too close for a race to actually be good.
One instance happened just a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen when the second through sixth-place cars all sat nose-to-tail with less than a second between each of them, but, no one could make a move. The infamous “Train racing” at superspeedway is another example where cars sit nose-to-tail, but no one either can or is willing to make a move by themselves. Some would argue that even the current superspeedway package has the same issue, except it’s multiple lines of racing.
Now, that’s not to say that whenever the racing is close the racing is bad, but it does show that there can be instances where the racing is so close that cars can have trouble passing. That is probably where many would draw the line. If it becomes impossible to pass, then it is hard to say there is any real racing going on.
Now, has the Next-Gen car actually reached this point? Let’s take a look at that a bit deeper.
There is at least one NASCAR driver who argues that the racing has gotten too close with the Next-Gen car. Joey Logano claims there is a “happy medium” between the racing being extremely close and the racing being too spread out. He feels that NASCAR has gotten to that point.
In fairness, we did mention certain instances in the first section of this piece with the Next-Gen car where the cars were so close together on speed that they could not pass each other. This problem is also prevalent on short tracks where the braking zones are so much shorter now because of the reduced horsepower and the big brakes on the car.
It’s harder to pass with this car because the racing is so close together. In some places, it has become too hard to pass. One of Denny Hamlin’s favorite phrases to use when it comes to Next-Gen cars is “Lap time variability”, which is definitely lacking with this new car. Now, is that purely because the racing is too close together, or is it because of other factors to do with the Next-Gen car?
There are some really good things that the close racing of the Next-Gen car creates. It’s important to take a look at those positives instead of looking at every negative associated with the cars being closer together.
What the Next-Gen car does create is incredible parity the likes of which we have never seen before. Race teams like Front Row Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, RFK Racing, and others have been able to improve by leaps and bounds partially because of the incredible parity that the Next-Gen car creates. The 2022 season tied for the most winners in a season in NASCAR history thanks to the parity brought forth by the Next-Gen car.
The closer nature of the racing has also improved the product on certain race tracks. Intermediate tracks that were once loathed by the fanbase became fan-favorites, and the closer racing of the Next-Gen cars was a large reason why. The lead cars are not able to drive away quite as much, and the multiple grooves of these types of tracks allow drivers to get out of the dirty wake of the Next-Gen cars.
Some may argue that the Next-Gen car is too close, but, the racing has not been all bad by any means. The closeness of the racing has created exciting moments, and it has increased the competition at the sport’s highest level.
That’s the balancing act that NASCAR has to try to figure out. At what point does the racing become too close to where drivers cannot pass? However, if they go too far the other way, the cars become too spread out and the racing becomes not very compelling just because there is no fight for the win.
The Next-Gen cars have definitely swung to the closer side of the pendulum, but is it too far? If NASCAR makes some changes, they will have to think of the consequences of those changes. The fans need to think of those consequences as well.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell claims that he feels NASCAR “got a little lazy” in its attempts to keep growing the sport during a recent interview.
NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell is entering his first full season as NASCAR President, after taking over the post from former President Steve Phelps in March 2025.
O’Donnell took over his post during a turbulent time in sports history, as schedule changes and car generations compounded fans’ growing issues with things such as the 2014 playoff system.
To add to his troubles, NASCAR was in the midst of a heated antitrust lawsuit with two of its teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, that was bound for court in late 2025.
Ultimately, NASCAR would manage to put a bow on most of its troubles before the start of the 2026 season, settling the lawsuit with the two teams, changing its points format, and expressing an openness to explore changes to its NASCAR Next Gen car, such as increased horsepower on short tracks and road courses.
This whirlwind of change is turning gears in the NASCAR fanbase, with many fans saying a lot of the reshuffling is just as good for the sport as putting things such as the lawsuit and playoffs in the rear-view mirror, a sentiment shared by O’Donnell.
During an interview with Sports Business Journal on Monday, the long-time NASCAR executive said, “This is the first year I can remember where we’re going into the season, just talking about racing and what’s great about NASCAR.”
This isn’t the only shared feeling between O’Donnell and NASCAR fans, as prior to that, he said he felt NASCAR had grown “a little lazy” after overtaking IndyCar as the top motorsport in America, something he has even told NASCAR employees.
“When I started at NASCAR, we were chasing IndyCar, and the goal was, if we can just kind of surpass IndyCar, and we did that, and, you know, I’ve told our employees, I think we all got a little lazy.” — Steve O’Donnell
While many fans would agree that NASCAR has turned around for the better, there is still work to be done, and in O’Donnell’s eyes, the sport is in a prime spot to grow.
“My job and all of our jobs is to bring the industry together and talk about, we got a pretty cool thing going here, and we can really grow it,” O’Donnell said.
NASCAR isn’t exactly setting lofty goals for itself in 2026, at least in public, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the attention of its fanbase.
While the revived Chase format has drawn back some eyes, things like NASCAR’s “Hell Yeah” advertising campaign were the talk of the NASCAR community entering the 2026 Daytona 500.
That race also produced a finish that saw NBA legend, team owner, and former NASCAR lawsuit plaintiff, Michael Jordan, bring home another major race win on National TV with driver Tyler Reddick.
This race also saw a slight increase in viewership from the 2025 Daytona 500, one hurt by a major rain storm that blew in early in the race’s running.
Though TV ratings may not be skyrocketing, NASCAR has early momentum to make 2026 good enough to set a firm foundation for O’Donnell’s goals of growth, but maintaining that momentum will be another challenge in and of itself.
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The NASCAR Truck Series breaks off from the main touring series schedule this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series aren’t racing. So, whether you are going to be at the track or home, what does the forecast look like for the race weekend in Austin, Texas?
Before the OAP Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the OAP Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the OAP Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Before the Cup Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the Cup Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the Cup Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
When the three NASCAR National Series rolled into Austin for COTA’s first NASCAR race weekend in 2021, no one could have guessed the chaos that lay in wait. A major rain shower did not prevent the series from racing that day, as, though it was still somewhat foreign at the time, NASCAR sent the Cup Series out in the rain for a chaotic race, ultimately won by Chase Elliott.
Note: This article will be updated with a more accurate and detailed forecast as the race weekend nears.
After back-to-back drafting tracks, NASCAR’s three National Series split ways as the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series head for Circuit of the Americas, and the Truck Series makes its debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
This information will be available when NASCAR releases it on Monday afternoon.
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.
