RPW 
Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – DAYTONA BEACH, FL – In a short statement on Thursday, NASCAR announced the Gen 7 car, set to debut in 2021 will have to wait a bit longer than expected.
With the COVID-19 pandemic closing major sporting events, and most of the country at large down, the development schedule is falling behind on the new machinery originally slated to run its first competitive laps in 2021. Though testing has already occurred, the testing seen so far by the public has featured a non-manufacturer specific body. Individual manufacturers are still working on their designs for the final body shapes and other aspects of the vehicles which means a lot of development still needs to take place on the Gen 7 car.
With the projected time frame the country’s social distancing is expected to last, NASCAR saw best fit to delay the racing debut of the car until all parties involved could be satisfied.
NASCAR Statement:
“Due to challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic, the debut of the Next Gen car will be delayed until 2022. The decision was made in collaboration with the OEMs and team owners. We will continue to develop the Next Gen car, and a revised testing timeline will be shared when more information is available.” – John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation
