NASCAR Next Gen test set for Dover, Custer to drive

NASCAR will test its Next Gen prototype at Dover International Speedway Aug. 24 and 25, following this weekend's Cup Series doubleheader.

Stewart-Haas Racing rookie Cole Custer will drive the car on the one-mile concrete oval, the fifth test for the Next Gen chassis in preparation for a debut that was pushed to 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Dover will be the car's first run since early March at Auto Club Speedway. A test scheduled for that same month at Atlanta Motor Speedway was canceled when COVID-19 started to interfere with the racing calendar.

The previous four tests for Next Gen were at Richmond in October, Phoenix in December, Homestead in January, and the aforementioned run at Fontana.

NASCAR also revealed that IMSA team Action Express Racing ran its own Next Gen prototype on the Daytona International Speedway road course. Felipe Nasr and Austin Cindric both drove the car.

“The Action Express test allows a sports car team to learn about the architecture of the Next Gen car and explore any opportunities to adopt new technologies,” said John Probst, NASCAR senior vice president of innovation and racing development. “The test also benefits NASCAR – it helps us check the durability of parts, helps with tire development, and gives us data from a road course test.”