NASCAR has been reluctant to add power noting the costs on the teams; But, the teams still want it
For 2022, NASCAR launched the Next Gen car. The entire model was overhauled, making the chassis identical from team to team. At the same time, a lower horsepower engine was put in place to save costs.
Overnight, the short track and road course product was drastically changed.
For short tracks and road courses, NASCAR uses a 670hp engine. Those limits have been under debate in recent years with almost all drivers looking for more.
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Recently, NASCAR hosted a test at Phoenix Raceway where multiple aero packages were tested. That’s the latest in a string of different aero tests around improving the short track races.
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NASCAR has recently stated they are open to the idea of giving engines more power. However, there hesitation to do so is related to the costs on the teams.
Yet, the teams are now saying that it wouldn’t take much to bump the engines from 670hp to 750hp.
Kevin Harvick wants more horsepower to fix short track issues (2023)
Kevin Harvick vocal on NASCAR Next Gen needing more horsepower (2021)
Bob Fisher: ECR Engines
“We do want all the horsepower we can get and these engines are capable of producing well over 900hp,” Bob Fisher, Sr. Vice President of ECR Engines told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
“To help the racing, if they wanted us to bump this power level up to say 750hp. It wouldn’t be a huge tear up for the engine companies.”
“we already have a package that we used to run, multiple races with the seals on. We feel quite comfortable doing that.”
“But, I know NASCAR, they don’t really want to talk about it. They haven’t really asked much of the engine companies. When they have asked us, we haven’t been against it by any stretch of the imagination.”
“I think that we could give these drivers more horsepower with an engine package that has already been validated to run more than one race at a 750hp level.”
ECR Engines is owned by Richard Childress Racing. They build Chevrolet power plants.
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