Although the playoff format has lately dominated the headlines, one issue continues to echo through the NASCAR garage ever since the Next Gen car rolled out in 2022: the growing demand for more horsepower. From veterans like Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick to current contenders such as Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, and Josh Berry, the call for added muscle under the hood has only grown louder. Now, Ryan Preece has joined that chorus.
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Josh Berry had recently pointed out that any horsepower increase should be significant enough for drivers to feel a real difference, warning against half-measures like an increase of 100 HP, which won’t be noticeable. Preece echoed that sentiment.
In a conversation with Peter Stratta, Preece stated, “From the driver’s standpoint, I wish we would be able to go to a test and overshoot it. Give us too much and just have to dial it back from there because I feel like we need, I know a 1000 horsepower seems like a big number.”
“But in my eyes, with the car weighing 3,500 lbs, you’re going to need a big percentage increase to notice, I think what we’re trying to accomplish. But yeah, I think there’s so many different ways you can go about it. I’d just like to see us try to test on the a lot more side,” he continued.
Before Preece, Wallace had previously argued that boosting horsepower could make a world of difference, particularly on tracks where shifting has erased passing lanes. More horsepower, he suggested, could help restore the grit and grind of old-school racing, putting more control back in the driver’s hands.
Blaney, Wallace’s longtime friend and fellow competitor, agreed. He encouraged NASCAR to take the plunge, saying there’s no harm in experimenting. When asked if raising the limit to 750 hp would make a difference, Blaney sided with the progression replying, “That’d be great. Baby steps, keep moving up.”
Back in the Gen 6 era, NASCAR cars packed serious punch. When introduced in 2013 and 2014, they cranked out roughly 900 horsepower. That figure dropped in 2015 with the introduction of a tapered spacer, bringing output down to 750 hp. By 2019, the 550-hp package entered the mix and quickly drew the ire of drivers and fans alike.
Fast forward to today, and the Next Gen engines are running even leaner. NASCAR currently caps horsepower at 510 for superspeedways and 670 across the board for all other circuits, including short tracks, intermediates, and road courses.
NASCAR’s most potent engine to date, the Chevrolet R07, first hit the scene in 2007. Purpose-built for stock car racing, the R07 was the best of small block engines, producing more than 900 horsepower from a V8, a far cry from the current 670 baseline.
The biggest concern with the current Next Gen package has been its shortcomings on short tracks. An uptick in horsepower might just be the missing ingredient to reignite side-by-side racing and open the door for cleaner overtakes on the tracks where it matters most.
