Photo Credit: David Scearce
The Gen-6 program, NASCAR’s most comprehensive overhaul since 2007, took a giant step toward meeting program goals on Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The goals of the Generation 6 program were “to re-establish brand identity among automotive manufacturers, and to provide competitive upgrades in an effort to improve competition in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.”
Only three races into the points season NASCAR fans are seeing faster, more competitive cars. This was highly evident on Friday at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”. Three drivers broke the qualifying record, set by Ryan Newman in 2003, with Kyle Busch winning the pole with a record lap of 129.535 mph. Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin followed Busch in breaking Ryan Newman’s previous record of 128.709 mph.
Less than two weeks ago at Phoenix International Raceway, after NASCAR fined Denny Hamlin $25,000 for his comments comparing the Gen-6 car to the Generation 5 “Cars of Tomorrow,” the performance of the Gen-6 cars became a hot topic of conversation.
Busch’s record breaking qualifying lap at Bristol Motor Speedway shows drivers, NASCAR officials, and fans alike that the Gen-6 cars have just begun to reveal how they are capable of improving competition in the Sprint Cup Series.
Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway will provide more evidence as the Gen-6 cars compete at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile”.
