Chase Elliott Shares Honest Opinion About His Next Gen Struggles

Let’s be honest for a second: change is not always for the better. Whether it’s your favorite burger joint changing their secret sauce or a sports league completely overhauling the equipment that made you a champion, nobody really loves having to relearn their craft from scratch.

And if you’re Chase Elliott, the transition to NASCAR’s Next Gen car hasn’t exactly been a joyride through the Georgia countryside. It’s been more like trying to drive a shopping cart with a wobbly wheel through a gravel parking lot—frustrating, unpredictable, and frankly, a bit of a struggle.

Since NASCAR introduced the seventh-generation race car in 2022, the garage has been divided.

Some drivers took to it like ducks to water, while veterans who spent years perfecting their finesse with the old Gen 6 machinery have hit a wall. And Chase Elliott? He’s not afraid to admit he’s in the second group.

1. The Struggle Is Real for Chase Elliott

In a sport where confidence is usually high and admitting weakness is rare, it’s refreshing to hear a driver just say it like it is. When asked about the impact of the Next Gen car, Elliott didn’t sugarcoat it. “I’ve struggled,” Elliott confessed. “I would put myself as someone who has struggled with it as much as anybody. But it’s a work in progress.” It takes guts to admit you aren’t vibing with the new hardware, especially when you have a Cup Series Championship trophy sitting on your mantle. The issue stems from the fact that this car is radically different. We’re talking about a symmetrical design, independent rear suspension, and wider tires that rely on mechanical grip rather than the aerodynamic side force that drivers use to lean on. For guys like Elliott, who made a living driving off the right-rear tire of the Gen 6 car, this new machine asks for a completely different driving style. It’s like being a master painter who suddenly gets handed a chisel and told to sculpt—sure, it’s still “art,” but the tools are all wrong.

2. Who Benefited? Elliott Won’t Name Names

When the media pressed him on who exactly benefited from this massive shift, Elliott played it cool. He wasn’t about to throw shade at his teammates or rivals by suggesting their success was just a product of the car. Specifically, he defended his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron. “I feel like it’s probably unfair to pick people who have benefited… I look at William (Byron), and I think that’s unfair to say about him because he was still pretty fresh in his career,” Elliott explained. “He’s obviously had a lot of success in this car, but I think he was on track to have that success anyway.” It’s a classy move. It would be easy to look at Byron’s 14 wins in the Next Gen era and say, “Must be the car,” but Elliott knows better. Talent is talent. Still, the numbers don’t lie. Some drivers have absolutely feasted in this new era, while others have been left fighting for scraps.

3. The Grid Weighs In: It’s Not Just Elliott

Elliott isn’t the only one feeling the heat. The paddock is buzzing with theories on who got the short end of the stick. Kyle Busch seems to be the popular answer for “driver hurt the most,” with peers like Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell pointing out that Rowdy’s adaptation has been… rocky, to say the least. Ryan Blaney, the 2023 champ, also noted the shift. “I definitely feel like it hurt, initially, and a bit longer than I thought it would, Chase Elliott. He was really good in that old car, and then I think this one took him a bit to get used to in how he drove the race car.” Even Bubba Wallace chimed in with a bit of a reality check, suggesting it’s less about the driver and more about the manufacturer. “The Fords got it figured out at short tracks… But then you go to mile-and-a-halfs, and it’s us (23XI Racing) or Hendrick for the Chevys.” Despite the struggles, the show goes on. We are heading into year five of this car in 2026, and Elliott is ready to grind. He’s got a fresh sponsorship deal with UniFirst for five races next season, starting at Darlington in March. He’s eager, he’s confident, and he’s hoping to put those UniFirst colors in victory lane. “I’m eager to see what 2026 has in store for our No. 9 team after a solid 2025,” Elliott said. Will 2026 be the year Chase Elliott fully cracks the code on the Next Gen car? Or will the struggle continue? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: he’s not giving up without a fight. And frankly, watching a champion battle back to the top is the kind of drama we live for.

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