AllRacing

The NASCAR industry’s (horse) power trip

If you think about it, getting something done in NASCAR is no different from how it might be done in everyday life: Just b
y wearing someone down.

It happens in NASCAR when drivers and teams start beating the drum over and over about a situation they feel strongly about. Those with the biggest microphone, after all, know they can use it to get a point across and cause change. Take the Damaged Vehicle Policy as the most recent example, which NASCAR tweaked during the offseason after a 2024 in which drivers and crew chiefs repeatedly expressed frustration with how the procedure played out.

NASCAR finds itself in a similar situation again. The topic this time is horsepower.

The drivers want more horsepower; the drivers have always wanted more horsepower. But in the Next Gen era, when the industry continues to try and come up with ideas of what will help the car, particularly on short tracks, the drum is being pounded repeatedly about increasing horsepower.

At this point, why not? Why not give in, give people what they want, and see what happens?

“We’ve been saying it for years – we want more horsepower – and we’ve been told we’re waiting on other manufacturers to come in and they aren’t in,” Bubba Wallace said. “So, let’s do something. I think we have all the momentum on our side with our sport right now, and I think bringing in something exciting … I think they need to look at it from an exciting standpoint rather than a worrisome standpoint.”

Finally, and fortunately, the feeling from the other side (i.e., NASCAR) is changing. For the longest time, the idea of increasing horsepower was a non-starter, and the sport went through years where horsepower was decreased. Lest we forget the decision to go to 550. And so, the message to fans was always, don’t get your hopes up. Even the drivers felt it was a long shot, or some had given up hope.

Except the talk has never gone away. The drum continued to be beaten.

So now NASCAR is acknowledging it’s not a hard no. In fact, it could potentially be implemented later this year.

“It’s on the table,” NASCAR senior vice president of competition, Elton Sawyer, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio last week. “We are working closely with all the stakeholders in the industry and the collaboration has been better than ever in our sport on all topics. This particular one, [we] had a team owner council meeting last week, came up and we discussed that. I know John Probst had a conversation with our engine builders to see what we could do, how that would look and what changes would need to be made.”

The current engine package is 670 horsepower, and any increase would not be extreme. It would not go back to the days of 900hp or the big 1,000 that drivers would love in a perfect world. It seems the 750 number is more likely.

No, it’s not a lot, but it’s something. Many would agree in this case, something is better than nothing.

“I think it’d be worth a shot if the engine manufacturers are willing to do it,” Chase Elliott said. “So, you’re going to have to get all of them to agree, which in my view, is going to be a difficult thing to do. But hopefully they can, and everybody’s willing to give it a shot somewhere just to see if it makes a difference. It might not do anything, but it might really help. And until you try, I don’t know that you really have an answer.”

Is cranking up the power all that’s needed to amp up excitement on short tracks, or is there more to consider? Sean Gardner/Getty Images

A very simple approach – wear them down until you get what you want – seems to work. Will it work on the racetrack? Hopefully, NASCAR gives the industry a chance to find out. But also remember that an increase in horsepower is one step but won’t be the cure-all for what ails the short track package.

“I definitely think it needs more,” Josh Berry said. “The question, I think, boils down to how much more does it need to move the needle? I don’t really have an answer to that. It probably needs to be pretty significant. What I would hate to happen is to go up 100 horsepower and it doesn’t really look that different and everyone goes, ‘Oh, that wasn’t it.’ It is a combination of a lot of things. It is the aero side of the car, it is horsepower, it’s the tires.

“Honestly, it’s technology. I raced a Pro Late Model on Thursday night and when I got out front my car drove a lot better than when I was tucked up behind someone’s bumper. It’s just technology and the fields are that close. It’s just physics and aero. It would definitely be a step in the right direction if they go in that direction. We will see what happens.”

NASCAR is being worn down to push the horsepower lever. It seems more likely than ever before it will happen, and cue the celebration when it does, followed by the magnifying glass on what it does on the racetrack. Then, get the drum ready because there will be something else that becomes worth repeating over and over.