“I don’t love the Next Gen car. It’s an IMSA car, it’s a sports car… it’s not a NASCAR stock car”. Those words from Dale Earnhardt Jr. weren’t just a critique, they sparked a rebellion against the Next Gen car. It’s been bubbling for months. Now, the silence is broken, and the warning isn’t subtle. It’s the kind of statement that makes you wonder if NASCAR’s headed straight into a storm.

Ever since NASCAR’s Next Gen car was introduced in 2022, it’s faced heavy scrutiny. Veterans, fans, and insiders alike have questioned its design and direction. From safety concerns to identity issues, the criticism hasn’t let up.

Crashes involving Kurt Busch and Ryan Preece, plus concerns about poor racing quality, reduced passing, and loss of stock car identity, have made NASCAR’s 2022 Next Gen car a flashpoint for debate, despite its modern upgrades, like independent suspension and composite bodies.

Are NASCAR fans on the verge of revolt over the Next Gen car?

Insiders suggest fan dissatisfaction is reaching a boiling point. Growing frustration over the quality of racing has sparked concerns about the future of NASCAR’s viewership and attendance. On The Teardown Podcast, hosted by motorsports journalists Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, the latter described a fan base on the verge of a “tipping point,” with “so much anger and animosity” that he could almost envision a mob outside NASCAR’s headquarters.

“If we haven’t hit it yet, we’re very close to hitting a tipping point with the fan base where there’s so much anger and animosity, and it’s like almost to the point you almost expect like a mob outside of Daytona headquarters, NASCAR is Daytona headquarters with pitchforks demanding this car go away, It’s bad. It’s been bad. It not getting better” Bianchi said.

He didn’t mince words. The only thing keeping the car from total collapse, he argued, is its performance on intermediate tracks. But even that lifeline feels shaky.

“Only saving graces you have are intermediate tracks when is next one of those? Kansas at end September. But what happened in that last Kansas race, Jeff remember? That was an a– kicking by Kyle Larson.”

Bianchi pointed out that intermediate tracks are the team’s only remaining strength. He noted that the next one is Kansas Speedway, a 1.5-mile intermediate track, in late September, a track where the Next Gen car tends to perform better. Thanks to its racing grooves and banking.

In May 2025, Kyle Larson dominated the event, leading 221 laps and sweeping both stages. Despite the win, Larson had also criticized the Next Gen car for tightening the field and limiting passing, suggesting it may have held back his overall win count. “I think if we would still have the 2021 car, I would have about 50 (NASCAR Cup Series) wins right now. I think switching to this car has limited us from winning,” this statement came during a post-race press conference.

However, there are some contrasting views as well, with Kyle Petty brushing off the criticism and defending the Next Gen car as a necessary evolution in NASCAR.

“We have not race stock cars…” Kyle Petty pushes back on Next Gen criticism

While many drivers, analysts and fans have voiced frustration with the Next Gen car, especially on short tracks and road courses, Kyle Petty is standing firm in its defense. Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently criticized the car’s design, calling it more of a sports car than a true NASCAR stock car. Denny Hamlin echoed similar concerns, pointing to fundamental issues with the vehicle’s performance.

However, Petty brushed off the backlash, arguing that the criticism is misplaced. “We have not raced stock cars since about 1958. We don’t race stock cars. We race NASCARs. This is a NASCAR car that we have today,” he said on PRN Live. He emphasized that complaints about car evolution have always existed, from tubular chassis in the ’70s to radial tires, and that change is part of the sport’s DNA.

Despite recent races at Iowa and Watkins Glen drawing criticism, Petty remains optimistic. He believes the Next Gen car will continue to improve and sees it as a step forward, not backward. With tensions rising and fans growing impatient, the debate now centers on whether NASCAR will cave to pressure or stand behind its latest innovation.