“Imagine the Marketing on 1000 HP”: NASCAR Insider Whets Fans’ Appetite for More Horsepower After Senior Official’s Claims

Although NASCAR has long stood its ground in refusing drivers’ and fans’ requests to boost the horsepower of the Next Gen car, citing cost increases, it appears the tide may finally be turning.

For years, the governing body experimented with alternative fixes: tweaking aerodynamics, testing different diffusers, and introducing varied tire compounds, yet the results fell short and have not been reliable. Now, it seems NASCAR is warming to the idea that horsepower might indeed be the magic bullet to reignite on-track excitement, and the fans are here for it.

Currently, the Next Gen car runs with a capped output of 670 horsepower, a far cry from the near-1,000 horsepower engines seen in previous stock car generations. NASCAR defended the reduction as a safety measure and an effort to lure new engine manufacturers.

But now, it appears NASCAR is finally prepared to take the plunge. As reported by Mike “Bagman” Bagley, co-host of The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “NASCAR SVP of Competition Elton Sawyer just said on #TMDNASCAR… increasing the horsepower on Cup cars is on the table and is being discussed daily. @SiriusXMNASCAR.”

 

Fans, naturally, are ecstatic about the news. Some have already begun offering their own suggestions. One NASCAR fan urged, “JUST DO IT!!! Push the limits of these motors again. I want to see these cars hauling ass down to turn 1 again,” while another, more skeptic voice chimed in, “Discussed and happening are two completely different things.”

Others debated the ideal target: “Better be 900HP minimum, but imagine the marketing on 1000HP! Would feed generations,” said one, while another offered, “Please!!! Even if it’s not 900. Kick it up a notch. Go 780-800.”

Today, reduced power has come at a steep cost, dulling the competitive edge on short tracks and alienating fans and drivers alike. NASCAR’s big names like Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Larson have all spoken out, urging NASCAR to inject more power back into the engines.

Still, for years, NASCAR resisted these pleas. John Probst, the sanctioning body’s chief racing development officer, argued that higher horsepower would inflate costs without guaranteeing better racing. He even cited data suggesting that increased power might spread the field out further. Still, those explanations did little to sway critics, who continued to clamor for change, which might finally be just around the corner.

All eyes will now turn to what Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick — longtime advocates for more power — will have to say about this development on their podcasts. Their take on how much horsepower NASCAR should add will surely fuel further debate.