NASCAR drivers cautiously optimistic about horsepower increase
Kyle Larson offered a bit of advice on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway regarding NASCAR's recent announcement about a horsepower increase for next season.
"I would encourage you all, and fans, to not over-promote it like it’s going to fix everything," Larson said. "I would encourage everybody to temper their expectations. It’s not way different. I did a test recently at Kershaw, and nobody told me that I had higher horsepower, and I never really realized it, so I wouldn’t say it’s going to feel different or look crazy different."
But it’s still something that Larson is glad is coming for road/street courses and ovals that are less than 1.5 miles.
"I’m happy," he said. "I think it’s probably a step in a better direction."
Larson shared what was the prevailing sentiment from drivers who were asked about the additional 80 horsepower that Cup Series teams will have in 2026. NASCAR announced on Wednesday that the increase will be to 750 horsepower (from 670) at those 17 racetracks. The move comes as the industry continues to search for ways to help the racing product, in the Next Gen era, on road courses and shorter ovals.
"I’m super excited about it, and I’m glad that NASCAR and the engine builders have taken a step in the right direction," Christopher Bell said. "It’s definitely going to play a role in the races, especially with the tires that Goodyear has been bringing. A couple of years ago, we were talking about the road courses [and how] the cars were just locked down. I can promise you, last weekend at the Charlotte road course, those things were anything but locked down, and you give us more horsepower to what we had last week, it’s going to be a big deal. I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction."
The tire, particularly a softer tire, is the additional variable that has seemingly helped the racing product. Goodyear has worked tirelessly to find a compound that drivers approve of for its wear. A tire that wears more means driver skillset factors in more with the equipment, which translates to "comers and goers" through the field.
A combination of more horsepower with a softer tire is the direction that drivers are interested in seeing play out.
"I think it’s directionally correct," Joey Logano said. "It’s obviously not a huge bump in power. It’s the direction they have to go. There are a lot of limitations that keep them from going further; there are a lot of parts to that equation. It’s not that simple to just take the tapered spacer off and open them up and let her eat. It sounds cool. It’s easy to say that here, but when you dig a little deeper downstream, there are a lot of things that happen to handle that, so I think directionally it’s the right way."
"I think the biggest thing that I’ve seen here recently in the last six months is what Goodyear is doing. Goodyear is bringing a tire that falls off, and we’re seeing that at a lot of different racetracks now. The horsepower will make the fall off a little bit faster. It will happen quicker. There will be more fall off with more horsepower, so it’s directionally kind of going that way, but what Goodyear is doing is the biggest part of the equation, in my opinion."
John Hunter Nemechek isn’t sure how much of a difference the horsepower will make, but he’s hopeful.
"I definitely hope that it helps on some of the short tracks from tire degradation, tire wear, being able to manage your stuff, and be able to show out," Nemechek said. "Who knows how that’s going to work? Time will tell, but I’m excited for more horsepower. I think everyone is from the driver’s standpoint."
Erik Jones admitted that he goes back and forth on how he feels about the horsepower issue. Jones has driven everything from the 900-horsepower car in his first Cup Series race to later driving 750-horsepower cars, 500-horsepower cars, and now 670-horsepower cars.
"At the end of the day, when I go to my local short track, my favorite race of the night is usually like the street stocks, and they're not very fast, so I don't know that going faster is always your answer to better racing," Jones said. "I think that's a bit of a myth. Maybe the bigger horsepower car puts on a better show. I don't know. It's a way different car, way different brakes and tires, so we probably need to just try it because right now the road course and short track races, I don't know what you guys think, but when I watch them back, not on the edge of my seat most of the time."
"We definitely need to try something. I hope it's better, but I honestly just don't know. I really don't."
Bowman Gray Stadium, which hosts the pre-season Clash, will be the first race where the increased horsepower package will be seen next year.
