Changes Coming to NASCAR Cup and Truck Series, Admits President Phelps

NASCAR President Steve Phelps has admitted to upcoming changes to the NASCAR Cup and Truck Series cars, promising a period of evolution in the sport.

Speaking at a Race Industry Week webinar, Phelps outlined the future direction of NASCAR's Xfinity and Truck Series, indicating a transformative approach in collaboration with those including manufacturers and race teams. His comments suggest changes to help innovate the sport.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series, lauded for its exciting platform featuring traditional live axle suspension and narrower tires, stands on the cusp of potential changes. Known for its distinctive reduced power-to-weight aerodynamic ratio, the series continues to captivate audiences.

Nonetheless, Phelps spotlighted the need for adjustments that align with the racing industry's evolving technology. This will find NASCAR working closely with manufacturers, tire giant Goodyear, and racing outfits to continually refine and upgrade the Xfinity Series cars. This dialogue also extends to existing and potential new OEMs.

"I think we'll continue to fine-tune what that car is," Phelps said.

The changes being considered are not limited to the Xfinity Series. Phelps has dropped hints about changes for the Truck Series as well, though specifics remain under wraps at this stage. Nevertheless, the commitment to continual improvement and adaptation within these racing formats is clear.

"And it's an industry-wide thing. It's not just, 'Hey NASCAR's going to do this, this, and this.' It really is working with our (manufacturer) partners, working with Goodyear, working with our race teams. And we're in constant collaboration with those groups, with those stakeholder groups," Phelps elaborated.

Such changes require total support from manufacturers, an idea that isn't lost on Phelps.

"To wit, any changes to the Xfinity Series or Craftsman Truck Series would need to be supported by those in that garage for them to continue racing as well," he explained.

NASCAR's media landscape is also set for a shakeup, with a revamped broadcast arrangement set to take effect in 2025. The Xfinity Series will exclusively air on The CW, reflecting a reshuffle amidst a bigger media rights overhaul. This includes an array of broadcasters for NASCAR's various series, aiming to engage a more diverse audience base.

"You know, I think there's some other opportunities for us in the lower series to make some changes. What those look like, I don't know, but we'll keep iterating on the NextGen car. I think we're looking at some things in the Xfinity Series, nothing to announce now. I think there's some things we need to do with our race teams in the Xfinity Series as well as (the manufacturers) that are existing and potential new OEs that could be in that series and in our Truck Series," Phelps outlined.