NASCAR announced last October that it would increase the horsepower to 750 during the 2026 Cup Series season at road courses and tracks less than 1.5 miles in length. The first race where that decision is set to be implemented is at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, and drivers have had their first taste of what the added power feels like.
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William Byron, for one, is really happy about the change and gave a positive review about it. He said, “It feels good. It feels like what this car naturally needs. Like, it felt like the power we were on before felt low and boggy.
“Now, the power is crisper, and it just feels like you’re getting down the straightaway a little bit cleaner,” the Hendrick Motorsports driver added.
Byron noted that the difference, while minimal, is just enough for a driver to strategize with his shifts using the throttle response range. The earlier horsepower was 670. Nearly every driver wanted to see more power under their hoods, and NASCAR finally had to relent after holding its ground for so long. Byron has qualified to start Sunday’s race from 10th place.
.@RyanPreece_, @KyleLarsonRacin and several other drivers shared their thoughts on the 750hp package and how it might work on the road course this weekend.#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/ns84Sqrs4b
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) February 28, 2026
It wasn’t just him who was happy with the change. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney expect there to be more tire wear and are eager to tackle the challenges that may come their way. Kyle Larson, too, admitted that there would be more tire wear. However, he wasn’t sure if the horsepower was going to be enough to allow more passing. He isn’t very confident that the race will look a lot different from last year.
Tire management will be key
Tires played a crucial role in determining the winner even last year at COTA. Kyle Busch held the lead with six laps remaining in the race when a caution came out. During the restart, he lined up with tires that were two laps older than those around him. When the green flag fell, Christopher Bell was able to significantly outperform him because of this.
He had more grip and was able to drive off corners better than Busch could. This resulted in Rowdy falling back to fifth place and finishing the race there. Now with the added horsepower, tire management will be even more important.
Busch, told Speedway Media this week, “You might see guys, if there’s a late caution with 10 to go, that got three or four laps old tires might come, pit, and try to drive back through the field and hope that the front guys burn their stuff up. Fresher tires more times than not, especially with more horsepower, you’re going to want them.”
Only time will tell if the increased horsepower makes races more entertaining to be in and to watch.
