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.”