With Rising Production Costs, Can $52.34 Billion Worth Manufacturer Jump to NASCAR From Indy?

The last time a carmaker apart from Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet won the manufacturer’s championship was back in 1982. Since then these three makers have been the ones dominating the NASCAR grid through hell and fire. But quickly, that might change. Honda America’s current contract with the IndyCar Series is set to expire at the end of 2026. Rising costs in production have concerned the company’s top brass to the extent that they are considering a viable exit from the racing series. Where could they end up instead? Enter, NASCAR.

With a representative of Honda, Chuck Schifsky, mentioning recently that a move to NASCAR could be on the cards for the manufacturer, we just might see a new brand of cars in the series.

The troubles of Honda in the IndyCar Series that warrant a move to NASCAR

Since Honda joined IndyCar in 1994, it has grown to be a lifeline without which the series might find it hard to survive. Today the company supplies more than half of the full-time grid which consists of 27 cars. The production costs of the thoroughbred 2.2-litre V6 engines that these cars need have resulted in rising annual expenses for the company. The heavy load of work and research that goes into the factories of the maker has resulted in them contemplating a future outside of IndyCar.

American Honda Motorsports Manager Chuck Schifsky talked to RACER recently and said, “We’re looking for a wholesale change to the engine regulations so that we can eliminate fives and tens of millions of dollars of annual technical costs. Because if we don’t, then it’s too much money, and we will go do something else. That something else could be NASCAR or a further investment in our Formula 1 effort. Or something that isn’t motorsports at all.”

Around this time in 2022, there was a frenzy going around that Dodge was a manufacturer interested in ending NASCAR’s search for a 4th OEM. But those talks quickly diffused into nothingness for unknown reasons as the lookout continued. Now that another manufacturer is out there for a more profitable venture than IndyCar, the possibility that NASCAR and Honda might cross paths is certainly adrenaline-spiking.

Watch Story: Trackhouse Racing’s Bold Leap Into MotoGP

The dominance of Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota over the last 40-odd years

Trending

Ricky Rudd Boldly Predicts Shane van Gisbergen to Lose His NASCAR Crown With Cup Series Promotion

Richard Childress Discloses His 6-Word Promise to Kyle Busch Amid Unending NASCAR Misery

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gets Candid on His Humble Upbringing as He Pens an Emotional Message to $8.4 Billion Worth NASCAR Partner

After Painful NASCAR Exit, Tony Stewart Shutting Down Prized Venture In Emotional Decision Shocks Fans

Richard Childress Disappointed With NASCAR’s Motives Forcing Him to Possibly ‘Lay a Lot of People Off’

When talks of a Dodge return spread in recent years, NASCAR openly acknowledged the fact that it was looking for a fourth company to join the main trio. President Steve Phelps had said before the 2022 season, “We’ve made no bones about the fact that we want to have a new OEM in our sport. I think we got delayed with the pandemic. With that said, we are an attractive place I believe for OEMs to come into the sport.”

His words could have been a reflection of the hate against the very idea of dominance centralized that the sport’s top brass have held for a long time now. Chevrolet, being the obvious apex in the grid, has won 42 manufacturer championships thus far. Ford with 17 and Toyota with 3, run quite behind the leader. While the presence of a fourth brand in this one-sided battle would do little to balance the scale in the immediate future, it could be a step forward for the sport. With hybrid and electric powertrains becoming a part of such conversations more entrants are bound to enter the game in the future, but for now, Honda could very well fill the gap that Dodge left behind in NASCAR. As the promotion’s COO Steve O’Donnell said last year, “It’ll be terrific for the sport if we can get that [A fourth OEM]”.

Read More: NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell Gives the Dodge Comeback Club New Hope as He Hints at Promising News for a Fourth OEM Very Soon