ES 
NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
The 2022 NASCAR season is about to take the green flag and there’s a huge question many fans have. It has nothing to do with driver changes, new teams, fights, or the schedule. Nope – this question about racing with cars… is actually about cars! NASCAR is introducing the newest generation of the top-tiers chariot and it could be a game-changer. Fans are asking what’s different? As it turns out – a whole bunch!
First things first. Yes, NASCAR originally stood for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Secondly, No – NASCAR has not raced stock cars since… they started. Even in the beginning, back in 1949, the cars brought to races were not stock. They may have started that way, but every driver heavily modified their rides. So please park that argument at the curb.
This is 2022 – things have changed. Changes to the car this season have been done for many reasons. Those include safety, affordability, better racing, etc. NASCAR realized a long time ago that a car pulled from the showroom would not fare well during a race around Talladega Super Speedway or the exact opposite track in the form of Martinsville.
Here are the basics about what’s different between the new “GEN 7” car compared to the “GEN” cars used over the last several seasons. Don’t worry – they are not bringing the dreaded fin back!
The Power Specs
NASCAR is keeping the Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota pushrod V-8 engines from last season that are limited to 358 cubic inches pushing 550 horsepower for the Superspeedways and 670 horsepower for everywhere else. The big change for many fans is the change in exhust systems. NASCAR made a point to push all exhaust sounds towards the stands for the delight of fans. Now the design has four cylinders pushing to the left and four to the right. There may be a slight change in the roar of the cars. The transmission handling the V-8 horsepower will move past the old four-speed traditional shifting gearbox to a five-speed transaxle system that allows for a wider range of gear options.
Looks More Like the Real Car
One complaint fans have had for years is that all of the cars look the same – as in shape. Teams branded their cars with slight nose changes and then stickers to make the standard cars look more like a Toyota Camry, a Ford Mustang, or a Chevrolet Camaro. The new car allows for manufacturers to better represent their actual car models. Of course, stickers will still be used as these cars don’t have headlights.
NASCAR Betting Beginners Guide
Say Bye to Sheet Metal
The exterior of the new car will be assembled with carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic pieces/panels. This follows the trend that started in stock car racing with ASA, ARCA, and then the Truck and Xfinity Series. Now the Cup Series joins the party. This translates into more durable exteriors that are not ruined by a small bump from another car or a rub on the wall. And, they will be cheaper for teams to replace and repair as opposed to re-sheeting a portion, side, or whole car.
One Lug Nut, New Wheels, and Tires
Trust me, this is a good thing! The new car will move from lug nuts to a single center-positioned lug much like that is found in F1 and IndyCar racing. Gone are the endless lug nut penalties that happen during and after a race. NASCAR claims that the move was done, again to save money and time, but also to match the performance of the new ride’s tire and wheel set up.
The Cup cars are moving from a 15-inch wheel to an industry-supplied 18-inch forged aluminum wheel. Due to all of the changes, NASCAR says that the new center lug has more “clamping” force than the previous lug nut setup. The change in wheels means a tire change which means Goodyear has been working hard to get ready for 2022. The newest version of the Goodyear Eagle racing tire is wider as it is going from a 305-section width to a 365 and it will have a shorter sidewall. Goodyear will still have several versions of rubber to meet the needs of every variety of tracks.
Better Braking Systems
A much-needed upgrade to brakes in NASCAR is coming in the new car. Rotors will move from about 12.7 inches in the front and back to 15.0 inches in the front and 14.0 inches in the back. NASCAR will allow two rotor thicknesses to choose from and will include a clamping system with a 6-piston front caliper up front and 4-piston calipers in the back. All of this is coming with new ductwork and cooling opportunities to try and keep brake temps low and reduce high thermal loads. Long story short – better brakes!
Size Changes
The new car is about 1.5 inches lower with a 50.4-inch roofline. The car is approximately 6 inches shorter in length due to the trim down of the decklid. The 2022 car is also 1.6 inches wider. The only thing that stayed the same with the new version is the wheelbase measurement. The wheelbase is the distance from the center of the front tires to the center of the back tires. The length remains at 110.0 inches.
Supplied Chassis
Before 2022 race teams would build their chassis from scratch, buy a new chassis from a shop and modify it within the limits of the rulebook, or buy a damaged used chassis on a low budget and start from there. That’s if a low-budget team just didn’t buy retired cars from bigger teams and re-skin them. Now, a company in Michigan, Technique Inc., will build chassis for every team in the form of a center driver cage with bolt-on front and back sections that can be replaced as needed. The idea is that it will be cheaper to replace a section instead of building or repairing an entire chassis.
Independent Rear Suspension
Drivers will no longer have a way to adjust the track bar from inside the car. That’s because NASCAR is moving the Cup Series to independent rear suspensions instead of a “live axle trailing arm” design. This should provide better setup options for teams on all tracks especially on road courses. Crews will still be able to make wedge adjustments in the pits during stops.
Damper System
Along with the new chassis, the way teams set up cars for each track will change with the new frame system. In the past teams worked with a damper that could be adjusted. There’s more to it than that but for this article, I’m just keeping things simple. Toss the old system as the new 2022 car will feature adjustable dampers in all four corners which should provide more fine-tuning when it comes to setting up a car for a race. Also, adjustments can be made in the pits.
While many things, actually almost everything, are changing with these cars the average fan should not notice too much at first glance. It’s impossible to see downforce, or if a car is a few inches shorter in height or a different length. You cant see the chassis changes or the brakes. And you can’t see the rear suspension – unless a car is upside down.
The big change will hopefully be in the amount of money that teams have to spend making and maintaining a new car. What fans will notice is if the racing is better, or worse than the previous version of a Cup Series car.
We take a look at the 2022 NASCAR rookies ahead of the upcoming season.
