Updated Next Gen car to get real-world test in Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — 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.

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 trioval 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.

“Do I think it was everything that could be done? No,” 2012 series champion Brad Keselowski said. “But I think there was significant progress. I suspect this conversation will be one that doesn’t go away for quite some time. The level of severity and the frequency we discuss it may perhaps diminish over time.”

Keselowski said the Gen 7 car was designed to handle “worst-case survivability” crashes often seen at Daytona, pointing to harrowing wrecks involving Austin Dillion, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch.

“The changes that were made have real potential to move the needle forward,” Keselowski said.