NASCAR will introduce a new short track and road course package this weekend at Phoenix Raceway after the racing product on those two styles of tracks was very poor during the debut season of the NextGen car.
The sport has decided to decrease the spoiler to two inches and remove three diffuser strakes with a 30% reduction of downforce with the NextGen car. However, the drivers would have preferred if NASCAR increased the horsepower as it would fix the issues.
One notable NASCAR owner talked about the possibility of the sport increasing from the current mark of 670 horsepower as the drivers clamor for more. It is certainly a response that will draw opinions one way or another.
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NASCAR owner discusses whether the sport will go higher than 670 horsepower
NASCAR has a history of making imperfect decisions with horsepower, such as the time when the 550 horsepower package was introduced. It was an overwhelming failure for the on-track product and set back the sport.
However, there have been other times when it has been successful. This happened when the people in charge introduced the 670 horsepower package for the NextGen car. Despite the increase, the drivers rightfully want to see it raised so it elevates the racing product.
Denny Hamlin, a co-owner of 23XI Racing, talked about the idea of NASCAR raising the NextGen car’s horsepower on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, as drivers and fans have been begging for it to happen sooner rather than later.
“(NASCAR) will not go back to higher horsepower. If anything, they will go the other way and make the engines even less powerful because they want to run them even more races…It will never happen. I think we’re going to continue to just press the horsepower down and down and down. I’m not saying that’s the right thing by any means…We will never see big horsepower back again…it wont be from the combustion engine.”
Denny Hamlin on the possibility of NASCAR increasing horsepower
Unfortunately, it appears that NASCAR will not raise the horsepower to bigger numbers due to cost-cutting measures. It is disappointing because horsepower does equal a better on-track product sometimes and the drivers do enjoy it more, as stated above.
It is also very alarming to hear that it is more likely that the sport will decrease horsepower rather than raise it. A very small amount of fans actually enjoyed watching the 550 horsepower package so it would be a questionable decision if it ever took place.
For now, NASCAR will continue to explore the possibility of grooved tires as a way to combat the lack of horsepower on the race track on a weekly basis.