Daytona at 75 Live Audio Coverage: Updated Next Gen car to get real-world test in today’s 500

By
Sports Talk Florida
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The latest version of NASCAR’s Next Gen car is still awaiting a real-world test. It’s sure to come in the Daytona 500.

Reacting to driver complaints and concussions to Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman, the sanctioning body made changes to the crumple zones in the backend of Cup Series cars in hopes of reducing the effects of rear-impact collisions.

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The revisions received mixed reviews following the Clash exhibition at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum two weeks ago — fan favorite and 2020 series champion Chase Elliott said he “didn’t think it was a ton different” — but those punishing hits came in tight turns and amid aggressive, short-track driving that involved widely varying speeds.

Daytona’s high-banked tri-oval might provide a better evaluation, where bumping and banging — while somewhat tempered — are an integral part of superspeedway racing and often result in more violent crashes.

Here is the field for the 2023 Daytona 500:

Daytona 500 starting lineup

  1. #48 – Alex Bowman
  2. #5 – Kyle Larson
  3. #22 – Joey Logano
  4. #10 – Aric Almirola
  5. #20 – Christopher Bell
  6. #2 – Austin Cindric
  7. #12 – Ryan Blaney
  8. #9 – Chase Elliott
  9. #17 – Chris Buescher
  10. #6 – Brad Keselowski
  11. #34 – Michael McDowell
  12. #7 – Corey LaJoie
  13. #4 – Kevin Harvick
  14. #38 – Todd Gilliland
  15. #23 – Bubba Wallace
  16. #19 – Martin Truex Jr.
  17. #36 – Zane Smith
  18. #11 – Denny Hamlin
  19. #21 – Harrison Burton
  20. #41 – Ryan Preece
  21. #24 – William Byron
  22. #42 – Noah Gragson (R)
  23. #1 – Ross Chastain
  24. #99 – Daniel Suarez
  25. #43 – Erik Jones
  26. #45 – Tyler Reddick
  27. #3 – Austin Dillon
  28. #31 – Justin Haley
  29. #16 – A.J. Allmendinger
  30. #14 – Chase Briscoe
  31. #47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  32. #78 – B.J. McLeod
  33. #54 – Ty Gibbs (R)
  34. #50 – Conor Daly
  35. #51 – Cody Ware
  36. #8 – Kyle Busch
  37. #77 – Ty Dillon
  38. #15 – Riley Herbst
  39. #84 – Jimmie Johnson
  40. #67 – Travis Pastrana

Failed to Qualify: Austin Hill, Chandler Smith