Brad Keselowski Baffled After Fans Unearth NASCARs Forgotten Legacy

If one thing excites fans more than anything else about NASCAR, it is the supremacy of speed. Unless cars hit the speed mark, the race does not seem to live up to expectations. However, for quite a few years now, NASCAR has been consistently changing the speed limits.

The major blow to the speed came when NASCAR made it a mandate to reduce the horsepower from 750 to 550. Just imagine the kind of blow it might be causing to the engine’s functionality. Recently, Brad Keselowski took to his X account and shared a documentary. This one showcases how the cars before the current update ran and the grip they had on the tracks. 

Will NASCAR keep turning a deaf ear toward the horsepower debate

It has been an ongoing battle between NASCAR and the drivers when it comes to the horsepower debate. While drivers have often made it very clear that working on horsepower is what they would want, NASCAR has maintained its stance – adding more horsepower will raise the costs manifold. To add to that, NASCAR also feels that working on the horsepower might work as a deterrent for newer engine manufacturers who might have been contemplating entering the world of NASCAR. 

Back in the day, it was a signature for the NASCAR cars to roar in style, especially when the horsepower was 1000 hp. The scaling kept on reducing the power from 1000 hp to 900, then to 750 in 2015, and finally to 550. However, with the advent of the next-gen cars, the current horsepower limit is 670 hp. Brad Keselowski, a NASCAR veteran driver recently shared how horsepower was a very important feature for the NASCAR cars. Speaking of how he wanted more people to know about the prowess that these engines possess, he took to X and shared, “So cool, great find! Backstory on this, I was filming something for the speed channel and saw the president (Hunter) in the hallway. After a brief conversation, I asked him if one day he could show qualifying from an Incar camera to shake it up a little. He didn’t say much but sure enough, a week or two later there it was…,”. 

Brad Keselowski shared a documentary that showcases the speed of the cars and how it feels to be driving one from an in-car camera perspective. Adding to how grateful he is for the run, Keselowski further added, “ So glad this film exists now in public forum as everyone can now see how these cars were real beasts to drive, especially qualifying at Charlotte motor speedway. This may be the only existing full lap onboard of qualifying from that era”. Drivers like Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and even Tyler Reddick had been strong advocates of adding more horsepower to the cars to make sure that one can get back the original thrill with which NASCAR was envisioned. 

Speaking on how more horsepower could be a game changer, Hamlin said,”The more you can get us out of the gas, which means if we have more horsepower, we have to let off sooner, that gives us the opportunity to overtake for the cars behind. Fifty horsepower, while it may not be a game changer, any horsepower gain will be an advantage for passing”. Even Tyler Reddick had done a small experiment of his own where during a practice session he enhanced the horsepower by 150 hp. His verdict was, “A couple of months ago just for fun I asked some of the guys at 23XI. There is a weird knob we can work on to basically increase the power of the car by 150 horsepower. Didn’t really change it much. I think you’d need to be above 1000 horsepower to like, really move that needle”. 

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Fans side with Brad Keselowski and reminisce about the old days

NASCAR fans have been very active and they notice even the slightest of changes in the sport. After Brad Keselowski posted the video, there have been tons of comments about how the older format of NASCAR which included high horsepower cars and complete practice sessions was much more interesting than what it is today. Harping on the same sentiment, a fan commented, “I  know lot drivers dont like it, but I miss the days where after a work week, I come home and know a full weekend of practice, qualifying and racing was set for my weekend. Speed channel gone and they even took race hub.  Very grateful, that I got to watch racing from 1978 on up”. Even Keselowski himself sided with the same comment where he agreed and replied, “Me too”. 

Comparing how the current cars are more about coverage and not about performance, a fan commented, “Very cool find indeed. Now there are cameras all over the car”. The want for more horsepower and longer qualifying seasons has been among fans for quite some time now. Resonating with the same, a fan commented, “Bring back weekend practice and qualifying, and 950hp”. 

The Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been known for the high-speed entertainment it provides, given that the sharp turns add to the adrenaline rush. Adding more horsepower to the cars would mean higher chances of clash which would add to the excitement. Speaking of the same, a fan commented, “Qualifying in those days, especially at Charlotte looked like a very tense, hold your breath deal”. The overwhelming fan support for Brad Keselowski’s sentiment highlights a deeper yearning for the raw, unfiltered excitement of NASCAR’s past—where skill, speed, and strategy took center stage.