Drivers and teams continue to call for more horsepower after NASCAR brought a new short track package to Phoenix Raceway
NASCAR recently launched a new aero packages for short tracks. The package made it’s debut over the weekend on the 1-mile track of Phoenix Raceway.
Phoenix Results: March 10, 2024 (NASCAR Cup Series)
The package features less downforce. A modified front splitter in addition to a drastically simplified rear diffuser. Additionally, a softer tire was used with the idea of creating wear over a longer run.
The idea is to make cars handle less worse, in traffic. However, most drivers noted they couldn’t tell a difference.
Where this package is used: Phoenix, COTA, Sonoma, Richmond, Martinsville, North Wilkesboro, Iowa, New Hampshire, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Charlotte Roval
All along, drivers and teams have been calling for horsepower. In recent years, horsepower has been reduced to 670hp. Previously, cars were fitted with 900hp+ engines.
NASCAR made this change to reduce costs on the teams as well as create parity from larger to smaller teams. Yet, teams have stated it wouldn’t cost more to add horsepower back in.
NASCAR engine builder wants more horsepower
Denny Hamlin comments
“I understand what the people want. I understand what NASCAR wants,” Denny Hamlin stated via his Actions Detrimental podcast.
He continued, “I wish we could just meet in the middle. We don’t need 900 horsepower back. It would be nice but those days are gone, I think, in the near term.”
“I would certainly like to see them just try it at a test.” He added, “I mean, we know what it’s going to do. I mean, we know what it’s going to do.”
“It certainly would put, in my opinion, the driver’s skill, more as a showcase. And if we want to create stars, stars are the ones that are good, week in and week out. Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell’s of the word, they just find ways to win week in and week out. Because they’re just better drivers.”
“We want to highlight their skill. Not their track position.”
“The engine bills are the same! I’ve been saying this forever, the engine bills are the same now as when they were 900hp. We buy engines, we know.”
So why not just increase horsepower?
“Call Jim France and ask. I don’t know.”
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Brad Moran comments on NASCAR’s short track package
“There were a lot of passes during the race from the data standpoint,” Cup Series managing director Brad Moran told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“The way these races play out, you never know what you’re going to get. But I think we had – and again, it’s still early on, we’re going to dig into everything and talk to all the drivers and teams and do quite a bit of digging here at the R&D Center – like 2,800 green flag passes, which is the most with the Next Gen car at Phoenix. So, it did deliver that.
“But we’re never done looking at improvements and adjustments. Christopher Bell, he didn’t really seem [to have] too much of a problem passing, that’s for sure. He had a dominant race. It was a pretty interesting race from the tower.”
“Once we open up the horsepower, we have to have all three manufacturers on board,” he added.
“As soon as you open that up, there’s going to be development, there’s going to be reliability issues and putting that cost back into the engine builder’s category, where they certainly will develop the engine.”
He concluded, “As soon you open any horsepower, they’re automatically going to do that. They’re the best at it, and that’s what they do.”
NASCAR president Phelps on adding horsepower
