Next Gen NASCAR Chevy Fails in First Outing

February 10th, 2022 Chris Phillip
Next Gen NASCAR Chevy Fails in First Outing
Blame it on a prop shaft.

Chevy's first NASCAR race with the new Next Gen NASCAR body put racer Tyler Reddick in the pits and out of the race.

The failure occurred while the race was under caution. Reddick was leading when the yellow flag flew, and while the field was slowed, he wove his No. 8 Chevy Camaro back and forth to build heat in his tires to prepare for the race restart. However, it became evident that the No. 8 had suffered a mechanical issue as it suddenly fell off the pace and slowed on the quarter-mile temporary track before the green flag waved. Reddick retired to the infield, surrendering the lead and ending his hopes of capturing his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series. (Source: GMAuthority)

Dr. Eric Warren, director of NASCAR Programs for General Motors, said that Chevrolet’s racing division would delve into identifying the cause of the No. 8 Camaro’s prop shaft malfunction, and hopefully turn up answers soon. He also added that the failure was cause for a “little concern,” considering that the Coliseum is a small track with conditions similar to Martinsville Speedway, at which the NASCAR Next Gen car will race in early April.

The next test of the Next Gen NASCAR race cars will be the Daytona 500 on February 20.