Before hitting the track for his NASCAR Cup Series run, two-time champion Kyle Busch weighed in just after fellow driver Kyle Larson’s blunt comments made headlines. The Richard Childress Racing driver was speaking to reporters when he addressed the growing criticism around the Next Gen car and recent underwhelming races, offering his take on how much drivers really pay attention to the noise.
Kyle Busch Makes His Stance Clear About Recent Next Gen Criticisms
Since its debut in 2022, NASCAR’s Next Gen car has drawn mounting criticism from drivers and fans alike. Many have voiced frustrations over its performance, with veteran drivers like Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin calling for major changes. Hamlin and others argue the Gen-7 platform lacks horsepower, which makes the racing feel bland and more predictable.
To its credit, NASCAR has made some efforts to address the issues, most notably tweaking the tire compound to encourage more lead changes. But those changes have only gone so far. The racing product still has clear problems, as seen at Bristol, Martinsville, Talladega, and other tracks.
Despite the ongoing concerns, Hendrick Motorsports star Larson didn’t hold back when asked whether Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway might be a “breath of fresh air.”
He took a jab at fan reactions, saying, “Yeah, but then if it’s a boring race, everybody is going to complain even more about the cars like ‘Oh my God, Kansas has been so great in the past and they brought a new left-side tire and now the racing sucks. NASCAR, you’re idiots, Goodyear, you suck.’ We’ll see how the race goes.”
Then it was Busch’s turn to weigh in. When asked, “How much do drivers pay attention to the criticism of the Next Gen cars and the racing product, especially after the past couple of weeks?” the RCR veteran didn’t dodge the question.
Busch responded, “I don’t know, I have probably been one of those who have been critical of it as well too. So, I’m not sure that gets us anywhere… There’s never 70 sunny rainbows and butterflies and seals all the time. So, there’s always going to be complainers.”
Busch admitted he shares concerns about the current product but added that constant complaining doesn’t fix anything. At the end of the day, it’s up to NASCAR to implement changes and improve the experience. As Busch sees it, drivers are doing their part by putting on the best show possible for the fans.