Amid ongoing discussions about NASCAR‘s playoff system, concerns over engine horsepower have remained a central issue since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022. Prominent drivers including veterans like Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, as well as current competitors such as Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, and Josh Berry, have all voiced their desire for more horsepower. Recently, Ryan Preece added his voice to this growing demand for enhanced engine performance in NASCAR.
Driver Perspectives Highlight Need for Noticeable Power Gains
Josh Berry emphasized that any increase in horsepower must be significant enough for drivers to feel a meaningful change on the track, cautioning that minor adjustments like a 100-horsepower boost would likely go unnoticed. Ryan Preece shared this viewpoint during a discussion with Peter Stratta, expressing a preference for testing with more power than necessary and then adjusting down as needed. He explained that given the car’s weight of 3,500 pounds, a large percentage increase in horsepower is required to achieve the desired effect.
From the driver’s standpoint, I wish we would be able to go to a test and overshoot it. Give us too much and just have to dial it back from there because I feel like we need, I know a 1000 horsepower seems like a big number.
—Ryan Preece, Driver
But in my eyes, with the car weighing 3,500 lbs, you’re going to need a big percentage increase to notice, I think what we’re trying to accomplish. But yeah, I think there’s so many different ways you can go about it. I’d just like to see us try to test on the a lot more side,
he said.
Fellow Drivers See Horsepower Boost as a Return to Competitive Racing
Before Preece’s statements, Bubba Wallace argued that increasing horsepower could be transformative, especially on tracks where gear shifting has diminished passing opportunities. Wallace believes that more engine power might help bring back the intense, driver-controlled racing many fans remember.
Ryan Blaney, a close friend and longtime rival of Wallace, supported experimenting with horsepower increases. When asked about raising the limit to 750 horsepower, Blaney welcomed the idea as a positive step forward.
That’d be great. Baby steps, keep moving up.
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Competitor
Historical Context of Horsepower in NASCAR
NASCAR’s previous generation cars, known as Gen 6, delivered substantially higher horsepower. Launched in 2013 and 2014, Gen 6 machines produced approximately 900 horsepower. However, the 2015 introduction of a tapered spacer reduced the engines to 750 horsepower, and by 2019 a 550-hp package was introduced, which sparked criticism from both drivers and fans for limiting performance.
Currently, Next Gen engines run with even less power. NASCAR sets horsepower limits at 510 for superspeedway events and 670 for all other types of tracks—short tracks, intermediate circuits, and road courses included.
The Chevrolet R07 engine, introduced in 2007 and built specifically for stock car racing, remains NASCAR’s most powerful engine, producing more than 900 horsepower from a V8. This stands in stark contrast to the current Next Gen ceiling of 670 horsepower for most tracks.
Addressing Shortcomings on Short Tracks through Increased Power
The main issue with the Next Gen car has been its limited excitement on short tracks, where tighter racing and frequent passing typically drive fan engagement. Many believe that raising horsepower could be essential to bringing back the close, side-by-side competition that makes these races compelling, possibly opening the door to more overtaking and aggressive driving styles where it counts most.
With Ryan Preece now publicly calling for a substantial horsepower increase alongside established voices like Kevin Harvick, Bubba Wallace, and Ryan Blaney, NASCAR faces mounting pressure to reconsider engine performance levels. Testing more powerful configurations could be the next step toward reviving the intensity and drama that define stock car racing’s appeal.