“I want to go fast,” legendary NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby had once said. Well, every driver wants. But is anyone listening to them? Probably not.

The NASCAR authorities have been on a spree to reduce horsepower since 2015. In 2014, the cars used to put out around 900 horsepower. This was reduced to 750 in 2015, then 550 in 2019. With the introduction of the Next-gen car, it was increased to 670 in 2022. NASCAR’s reasons for the move have been plenty. But the outcome has been largely disappointing, especially on the short tracks and road courses. In March, Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Denny Hamlin had called out NASCAR in the issue. Now his teammate Ty Gibbs did the same after his disappointing 22nd-place finish at the Watkins Glen race.

As highlighted in previous road course races, the short braking zones leave fewer passing opportunities experienced by Next Gen cars. What this means is that the turns on these tracks are too close by, ripping the drivers off overtaking chances. Greater speeds will help drivers to pass on full throttle before approaching the next turn. This is exactly what Ty pointed out after the race.

Jeff Gluck from The Teardown asked Ty Gibbs why the tire fall-off wasn’t seen on the track as expected and Gibbs responded, “Until you put 900 horsepower in these things, you’re not going to do anything. You cannot pass. Sometimes I feel like, is this car designed for us not to pass?” Ty Gibbs raced in the Shriners Children’s 200 Xfinity race on the same track a day before and, as per him, passing wasn’t an issue.

At The Glen Cup race, after starting at P15, Ty carved his way to P4 place by the second stage. However, soon after the low-powered car stuttered his progress. Comparing his Cup woes to the Shriners Children’s 200, where he could run way better, he said, “It’s so hard to pass compared to the Xfinity car. In the Xfinity car, you can cross people over and everything and in this thing, you can’t pass. It’s frustrating as a driver. I caught the guy in front of me from six seconds back. And I get to him and I just can’t do anything.” Ty is not alone in this.

In March, FOX Analyst Kevin Harvick had said in this podcast, “I still think it’s got to have more than 1,000 horsepower.” That found support from two-time Cup champion Joey Logano, who said, “We want more power. It increases tire wear. It makes the track wider.” Along similar lines, Ty also received support from the NASCAR fans in his take on the horsepower debate. But why is NASCAR reluctant to increase the horsepower?

Their logic is simple. It would add costs. But, there is no guarantee that it elevates the racing experience. “If you add the horsepower, you add the cost, then you see if it is better. There’s no guarantee you get there, and it would be any better. And I think there’s some evidence that shows as we add horsepower, they run further apart. There’s some that shows it’s better … and there’s some other shows no, might not be. So that’s a heck of a gamble to take with the entire industry,” NASCAR Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst said in the matter. Two more issues are there.

Firstly, the potential new manufacturers might not build a push-rod V-8 engine that generates as much horsepower. Secondly, NASCAR is trying to bring in alternative fuels and potential hybrid engine packages in the coming days. These will further add to the costs. Interestingly, Denny Hamlin differs from NASCAR’s logic. And that holds some importance since he has the unique advantage of being a driver and a team owner (of 23XI Racing) simultaneously.

In March, Denny had claimed that the engine builders had told him it would be an easy change to make. “It can be done before next weekend, and they said it won’t change any of the durability that they’ve got. It can be done with one phone call and no additional money,” he had said. He had also vouched that the increase in horsepower could solve the problem with short-track racing.

“I think any horsepower you can add would make the racing better. It’s hard to pass because we’re all in the gas so much. So you have to get us out of the gas, either through the tire or the horsepower. That combination is what makes passing so difficult. So 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 the opportunity to overtake for the car that’s behind,” Denny had argued.

Notably, the head of Roush Yates Engines, Doug Yeats, had said last year that going back to the 750 horsepower version won’t cost as much money. That’s because the engine that would be used for that conversion would be the same as the one used now. NASCAR uses a thick plate with holes to reduce the airflow through the engine that regulates the horsepower. For going back to 750 horsepower, the same engine will use bigger holes to allow more air to run through it. But going back 900 would increase the cost according to him simply because the life of the engine will be shorter. Amid all the logic and counter-logic Reddit users majorly agreed with Ty Gibbs’ opinion.

more power, better races, argue fans

The racing becomes noncompetitive when the room to perform is taken away. That’s the ailment associated with the Next Gen cars. One fan ranted on Reddit, “I had seen some other posts talking about how competitive the field is in this era. I don’t think it has anything to do with the talent and everything to do with what Ty and many other drivers have been saying. It’s the car design and that got can’t make passes. And it’s the shares SMT that allows all the drivers to copy each other which makes it that much harder.”

NASCAR had made the change in the cars to allow other manufacturers to easily enter the sport and also to enhance the engine’s life. But that has proven counterproductive for the motorsport’s essence, annoying many NASCAR lovers as well as insiders. A disappointed fan wrote, “It still floors me that they won’t go there. The engine is made for 900+. Take the damn tapered spacer off it and let it sing.”

It is the earnest wish of all NASCAR fans to see the best of what the motorsport has to offer. And capping the speed and blocking the car’s and driver’s potential is not helpful. One user rightly added, “Dudes at local short tracks running late models and modifieds on dirt got more power than these cup cars…you’ll never convince me it can’t or shouldn’t be done in this series.”

When people start appreciating other series over NASCAR’s top series, then it is evident that a change is imperative. “It’s absolutely hilarious looking at cup drivers after they get out of the Xfinity cars. Everyone is smiling, they are all happy, and you can tell they truly love racing. Then they go race Sunday and it’s all pissed off and unhappy,” mocked a user.

While NASCAR executives agree that the change is needed, they’re certainly not willing to bring it right away. And drivers had borne with it, but they’re starting to get weary, especially the younger ones.