While veteran NASCAR driver and team owner BJ McLeod loved the cars used during the early 2000s, there are key reasons why he feels the Next-Gen versions are the best the sport has ever had.
Since its introduction in 2022, the Next-Gen car has been a source of debate among drivers, fans, and analysts. In a recent conversation with Sportsnaut, the co-owner of Live Fast and BJ McLeod Motorsports (as well as the Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster) was asked about his preference. And the veteran driver could not deny his love for the old-school Gen-4 models of the 2000s.
“I don’t think anything will ever be better than the 2000s series car,” McLeod said. “I think Gen 4 is what they called it in 2000, and I think 2004. You’re sitting in a 1,000-horsepower. You’re sitting at 9,500 to 10,000 RPM. An unparalleled sound. The car had a ton of downforce.
- When did NASCAR introduce the Next Gen car? Next Gen cars were introduced in 2022
“Really cheated-up bodies. Window openings that, if the car rolled over, the driver couldn’t get out. I mean, incredibly unsafe stuff, right?” he said with a laugh. “I don’t think anything is ever gonna beat that.”
Yet, for his appreciation of the 2000s series cars, McLeod says the newest generation is still far better for several key reasons.
BJ McLeod on Next-Gen cars: ‘It’s absolutely the best stock car I’ve ever been in’
Credit: Jason Allen-Imagn Images
“When you take [those elements] out of it, nothing in my mind beats the next-gen car,” McLeod says. “It’s absolutely the best stock car I’ve ever been in. It’s the fastest stock car that I’ve been in. I love looking at F1 and their cars, and how fast they are, and the technology that goes into them.
“And even though the next-gen car is a very high stock car, with a high center of gravity, very heavy, and not maxed out performance-wise, it’s still the best and fastest NASCAR vehicle that we have had that’s safe for the drivers. I feel like the next-gen was a huge improvement for the driver.”
Although the driver and owner admits Next-Gen cars “are more difficult to drive” than the previous generations, they also offer other big benefits off the track. While the upfront cost in 2022 was a lot when they were introduced, he says it has saved owners a lot of money long-term.
R&D and material expenses are way down, and the need to constantly tweak cars for tracks throughout the season is not necessary like it once was, as well.
After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka … More about Jason Burgos